Honey Bee Colonies Could Face 70% Losses in 2025, Impacting Agriculture

Honey bee colonies across the United States are facing record-breaking losses in 2025, with scientists warning the impact could be felt in agricultural production.

Washington State University entomologists announced this week that commercial honey bee colony losses are projected to reach between 60% and 70% in 2025.

Over the past decade, annual losses for colonies have typically ranged between 40% and 50%, marking a significant jump this year.

Priya Chakrabarti Basu, an assistant professor of pollinator health and apiculture at WSU told ABC News that honey bee losses could stem from nutrition deficiencies, mite infestations, viral diseases and possible pesticide exposure during the previous pollinating season.

“I honestly think this is a combination of multiple stressors, which is why for years my lab has been focusing on understanding the impacts of and interactions of these stressors on bee pollinators,” Basu said, adding that America’s commercial beekeepers are under pressure to maintain colonies.

“The pollination demands haven’t gone down, so beekeepers face tremendous pressure to keep the same number of colonies to meet those needs,” Basu said.