The varroa mite might have a vulnerability
Researchers have found “genetic holes” in the armor of the varroa mite, a parasite that is a leading culprit in the decimation of honeybees, that could lead to strategies for controlling or even eliminating the mite, reports Science Daily.
Losses of honeybee colonies are lowest in five years
Beekeepers lost one-third of their colonies in the year ending in March, down 6 percent from the previous year and the lowest loss rate since 2011-12, when less than 29 percent of colonies were lost, says the Bee Informed Partnership of university researchers. Assistant entomology professor Dennis vanEngelsdorp, of the University of Maryland, said the decline in losses was encouraging but added, "It's hard to imagine any other agricultural sector being able to stay in business with such consistently high losses."
Honeybee colony losses highest since 2013
Beekeepers across the United States lost 44 percent of their honeybee colonies in the past year, nearly as bad as losses sustained in 2012-13, according to a survey by researchers. Losses were more than twice the economically acceptable rate for owners of the pollinators that add an estimated $15 billion to U.S. agriculture through higher yields.