Honey bee colony losses in 2025 did not appear as dire as once thought.
USDA’s latest report revealed mixed trends in colony health for operations with five or more hives. Data from January 1st shows colonies down just 1% on the year.
However, by April, that number had risen, and by the second and third quarters of the year, additions far outpaced losses, with more than a million hives added.
According to Lance Honig with USDA NASS, “Even though we’re losing normally 10% of our colonies on an ongoing basis, we’re adding them back. You’ve also got to take care of the colonies you’ve got, and so we did publish some numbers on those renovated colonies as well, and so in other words, they’re doing some work there to revitalize things.”
Those renovations include things like requeening or adding nucleus colonies. The second quarter of the year marked the highest quarterly renovation rate in the last two years.
Despite this year’s incredible bee comeback, researchers are still concerned with the nearly 60% colony losses experienced last winter.
Experts at the University of Georgia blame erratic weather patterns and high viral loads caused by varroa mites.
The Honey Bee Health Coalition is expected to release an updated version of its “Tools For Varroa Management” guide later this year. The guide can serve as a resource for beekeepers, providing science-based strategies for monitoring and controlling varroa populations.
