Preliminary analysis of loss rates of honey bee colonies during winter 2015/16 from the COLOSS survey (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Apicultural Research, 2012
This study records the fifth consecutive year that winter losses of managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in the USA have been around 30%. In April 2011, a total of 5,441 US beekeepers (an estimated 11% of total US beekeepers) responded to a survey conducted by the Bee Informed Partnership. Survey respondents reported that they had lost an average of 38.4% of their colonies, for a total US colony loss of 29.9% over the winter of 2010-11. One-third of respondents (all classified as backyard beekeepers, i.e. keeping fewer than 50 colonies) reported no winter loss. There was considerable variation in both the average and total loss by state. On average, beekeepers consider acceptable losses to be 13.2%, but 68% of all responding beekeepers suffered actual losses in excess of what they considered acceptable. Of beekeepers who reported losing at least one colony, manageable conditions, such as starvation and a weak condition in the fall, were the leading self-identified causes of mortality. Respondents who indicated that varroa mites (Varroa destructor), small hive beetles (Aethina tumida), poor wintering conditions, and / or Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) conditions were a leading cause of mortality in their operations suffered a higher average loss than beekeepers who did not list any of these as potential causes. In a separate question, beekeepers who reported the symptom "no dead bees in hive or apiary" had significantly higher losses than those who did not report this symptom. In addition, commercial beekeepers were significantly more likely to indicate that colonies died with this symptom than either backyard or sideliner beekeepers.
A national survey of managed honey bee 2013–2014 annual colony losses in the USA
Apidologie, 2015
Honey bee colony losses are a major concern in the USA and across the globe. Long-term data on losses are critical for putting yearly losses in context. US colony loss surveys have been conducted yearly since the winter of 2006-2007. Here, we report the results from the eighth annual survey on winter losses and the second annual survey of summer and annual losses. There were 7425 valid respondents , 190 sideline, and 112 commercial beekeepers) managing 497,855 colonies, 19 % of the total US colonies. Total losses reported were 19.8 % [95 % CI 19.3-20.3 %] over the summer, 23.7 % [95 % CI 23.3-24.1 %] over the winter, and 34.1 % [95 % CI 33.6-34.6 %] for the whole year. Average losses were 15.1 % [95 % CI 14.5-15.7 %] over the summer, 44.8 % [95 % CI 43.9-45.7 %] over the winter, and 51.1 % [95 % CI 50.2-51.6 %] for the whole year. While total winter loss was one of the lowest reported in 8 years, 66 % of all beekeepers had higher losses than they deemed acceptable. honey bee / survey / mortality / colony losses / USA
Honey bee colony losses are a major concern in the USA and across the globe. Long-term data on losses are critical for putting yearly losses in context. US colony loss surveys have been conducted yearly since the winter of 2006-2007. Here, we report the results from the eighth annual survey on winter losses and the second annual survey of summer and annual losses. There were 7425 valid respondents (7123 backyard, 190 sideline, and 112 commercial beekeepers) managing 497,855 colonies, 19 % of the total US colonies. Total losses reported were 19.8 % [95 % CI 19.3-20.3 %] over the summer, 23.7 % [95 % CI 23.3-24.1 %] over the winter, and 34.1 % [95 % CI 33.6-34.6 %] for the whole year. Average losses were 15.1 % [95 % CI 14.5-15.7 %] over the summer, 44.8 % [95 % CI 43.9-45.7 %] over the winter, and 51.1 % [95 % CI 50.2-51.6 %] for the whole year. While total winter loss was one of the lowest reported in 8 years, 66 % of all beekeepers had higher losses than they deemed acceptable.
A national survey of managed honey bee 2014–2015 annual colony losses in the USA
Journal of Apicultural Research, 2015
Honey bee colony losses are a major concern in the USA and across the globe. Long-term data on losses are critical for putting yearly losses in context. US colony loss surveys have been conducted yearly since the winter of 2006-2007. Here, we report the results from the eighth annual survey on winter losses and the second annual survey of summer and annual losses. There were 7425 valid respondents (7123 backyard, 190 sideline, and 112 commercial beekeepers) managing 497,855 colonies, 19 % of the total US colonies. Total losses reported were 19.8 % [95 % CI 19.3-20.3 %] over the summer, 23.7 % [95 % CI 23.3-24.1 %] over the winter, and 34.1 % [95 % CI 33.6-34.6 %] for the whole year. Average losses were 15.1 % [95 % CI 14.5-15.7 %] over the summer, 44.8 % [95 % CI 43.9-45.7 %] over the winter, and 51.1 % [95 % CI 50.2-51.6 %] for the whole year. While total winter loss was one of the lowest reported in 8 years, 66 % of all beekeepers had higher losses than they deemed acceptable.