Commercial beekeepers across the United States, Canada, and Australia are facing severe honey-bee colony losses that have decimated managed hives [1, 2, 4].
These losses threaten the stability of global food systems, as honey-bees provide essential pollination services for a vast array of agricultural crops. The scale of the crisis involves the death of millions of honey-bees [3].
In the United States, the managed honey-bee colony loss rate reached 55.6% between April 2024 and April 2025 [1]. This follows a similarly high loss rate of 55.1% during the prior year [1]. Beekeepers in the U.S. have reported significant losses during the winter of 2025 [2].
The causes of the decline are a subject of debate among experts. Some reports identify pesticide-resistant varroa mites as a primary driver that spread in winter 2025 [2]. Other accounts suggest that the exact reasons why the bees are dying remain unknown [3].
In Canada, the impact has reached the Saskatchewan province, where commercial beekeepers have received $1,000,000 in support to offset their losses [4]. Similar distress is being reported by apiaries in Australia [5].
Further complications have arisen from the management of research infrastructure. Some advocates said that the shutting down of federal bee labs threatens the U.S. food system and beekeepers [2]. However, other reports suggest that losses are primarily driven by varroa mites and other stressors rather than the closure of these labs [1].
As domestic production struggles, the U.S. has increasingly relied on imported honey to meet consumer demand [1].
“Managed honey-bee colony loss rate reached 55.6% between April 2024 and April 2025”
The sustained loss of over half of managed colonies in the U.S. indicates a systemic failure in bee health management. The combination of biological threats like varroa mites and the reduction of federal research capabilities creates a vulnerability in the agricultural supply chain, potentially increasing food costs as pollination becomes more expensive or reliant on imports.
