Colony collapse surges among honeybees

After a sharp drop in 2017, colony collapse disorder hit more U.S. honeybee operators this year, said USDA on Wednesday. The annual Honey Bee Colonies report said 77,800 colonies were lost to the disorder during the first quarter of this year, a 15-percent increase from 2017 for operations with five or more colonies. January through March is traditionally the period with the highest losses.

There were 2.63 million colonies at the start of this year, down marginally from Jan. 1, 2017. Colony numbers are at their lowest during the winter. In the four years of data for the Honey Bee Colonies report, colony totals have run from roughly 2.6 million to 2.8 million.

In colony collapse disorder, the majority of worker bees abandon a colony despite the presence of a queen and plenty of food. A decade ago, colony collapse was recognized as a global problem and part of a decline in honeybee populations. Pests, disease, poor nutrition and insecticides are considered factors in the decline. Pollinators such as honeybees play an important role in food production.

The number of colonies affected by colony collapse disorder plunged 27 percent in early 2017 compared to the previous year, the USDA said in last year’s report. The report is based on a survey of operations with honeybees. Revisions are made annually.

Beekeepers said roughly half of their colonies were infested by the parasitic varroa mite during the first half of this year. “Other pests and parasites” and pesticides ranked second and third as “stressors” of colony health, but at much lower levels.

The not-for-profit Bee Informed Partnership of research labs and universities said in May the colony mortality rate during the winter of 2017/18 was the highest in five years. Bee Informed, a partnership of research labs and universities, began surveying winter losses in 2006/07 and began to record annual losses in 2010/11.

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