Beehives and blossoming almond trees in central California in winter. PhilAugustavo / iStock / Getty Images Plus

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Honeybee deaths in the United States have surged to record highs, with commercial beekeepers reporting having lost an average of 62 percent of their colonies over the winter, according to an ongoing survey by nonprofit Project Apis m.

Data for the survey was collected from 702 respondents who are responsible for roughly 1.84 million colonies — about 68 percent of the country’s bees.

“The start of the 2025 almond pollination season was met with unprecedented colony losses which have shaken the beekeeping industry. In response, Project Apis m. conducted a widespread survey to assess the breadth and severity of colony die offs within the United States,” a press release from Project Apis m. said. “These alarming numbers could significantly impact crop pollination of essential foods and harm the profitability of the nation’s agriculture industry.”

Beekeepers are used to some colony losses each year, but the severity of this season’s casualties could mean disaster for many businesses.

According to the results of the survey, respondents lost an estimated $224.8 million in direct colony losses alone. That’s based on a conservative replacement cost of $200 per colony, which does not account for the value of feed, labor and treatments to maintain the colonies.

“What do back-to-back losses mean? We already bought back in. We borrowed from our house, from our retirement, from family. We borrowed to keep the business going. Now those bees are gone. This is what it means to have back to back losses on a farm. We took a large loss two years ago. We borrowed against our long-term investments to buy back into bees. We ran our bees again. We focused on their health. We asked for help. We did what we were supposed to do. But when the losses hit again, there is no way to recover. It’s all gone. The equity on the house is gone, our retirement is gone, the family member’s money is gone. All that’s left are empty boxes. We don’t even have the dead bees. They are gone too,” said an anonymous beekeeper in response to the survey.

The high rate of decline is more than record reductions in 2024 and is on its way to being the “biggest loss of honeybee colonies in U.S. history,” said Scott McArt, a Cornell University associate professor of entomology, as The Guardian reported.

When beekeepers who did not participate in the survey were factored in, an additional $206.4 million was estimated to have been lost.

“Something real bad is going on this year,” McArt said. “We have been seeing high losses year after year but if anything it is getting worse, which is troubling. Some places are having devastating losses and there was a shortfall in pollination in some almond orchards this year. Whether these impacts will cascade to other crops remains to be seen, it’s certainly possible.”

Climate change, more effective weed management, urban sprawl and efforts to impose honeybee bans on public lands all decrease the availability of forage for bees. As forage becomes less plentiful, beekeepers have to spend more on feed supplements, which aren’t as healthy as natural nutrient sources.

Research by project Apis m. has demonstrated that cover crops can provide a valuable forage source for managed honeybee colonies on farms where they need it most.

“Those who are interested in helping American beekeepers can do so by spreading awareness of this pressing issue, speaking with members of the government, and purchasing U.S. made honey. Additionally, people can help combat one of the greatest threats facing both honey bees and wild pollinators: the increasing lack of pollinator forage,” the press release said.

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