Honeybees in the U.S. are dropping like flies, literally.
According to Project Apis m, commercial beekeepers reported losing 62% of their colonies in a recent survey. That’s a massive hit, considering those surveyed account for nearly 70% of the country’s bees.
Entomology professor Scott McArt stated that, “Something real bad is going on this year.” And he’s not exaggerating, bee losses are getting worse, and some areas are already seeing pollination shortfalls, especially in almond orchards.
Washington State University experts predict colony losses could hit 70% by 2025, up 20% from past years. The culprits? Poor nutrition, infestations, disease, and pesticide exposure.
Top U.S. Beekeeper Blake Shook warns, “If we lose 80% of our bees every year, the industry cannot survive.” That means big trouble for crops like almonds, which “cannot exist without honeybees.”
The USDA says that honeybees may not be native to the U.S., but they pollinate $15 billion worth of crops every year. So that means, no bees, no food.
