According to the survey, the last pollination season was the second most deadly on record for U.S. honeybees. From April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023, US beekeepers lost an estimated 48.2% of their honey bee colonies. The report includes surveys from small and large-sized operations involving 3,006 US beekeepers who collectively manage 314,360 colonies.

Honey bee population decline spells trouble for US agriculture

To put matters into perspective, the 2020-2021 season saw an estimated 51% decline in honey bee colonies, and the 2021-2022 season saw a 39% drop. As the die-off trend continues, there will be ongoing consequences for agriculture and biodiversity, for honey bees pollinate over 100 different crop types and numerous wild herbs.