A report yesterday from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) stated that, “Honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in the United States on January 1, 2018 totaled 2.63 million colonies, down slightly from January 1, 2017. The number of colonies in the United States on April 1, 2018 was 2.69 million colonies. During 2017, honey bee colonies on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 were 2.64 million, 2.69 million, 2.99 million, and 2.85 million colonies, respectively.
“Honey bee colonies lost for operations with five or more colonies from January through March 2018, was 425 thousand colonies, or 16 percent. The number of colonies lost during the quarter of April through June 2018 was 270 thousand colonies, or 10 percent. During the quarter of October through December 2017, colonies lost totaled 425 thousand colonies, or 15 percent, the highest of any quarter in 2017. The quarter in 2017 with the lowest number of colonies lost was April through June, with 286 thousand colonies lost, or 11 percent.”
The NASS update noted that, “Varroa mites were the number one stressor for operations with five or more colonies during all quarters of 2017. The quarter of October through December 2017 had the highest percentage of colonies reported to be affected by varroa mites at 55.3 percent. The percent of colonies reported to be affected by varroa mites during January through March 2018 and April through June 2018 are 40.8 percent and 53.4 percent, respectively.
“Honey bee colonies lost with Colony Collapse Disorder symptoms on operations with five or more colonies was 77.8 thousand colonies from January through March 2018. This is a 15 percent increase from the same quarter of 2017. Colonies lost with Colony Collapse Disorder symptoms were reported to meet all of the following criteria: 1) Little to no build-up of dead bees in the hive or at the hive entrance 2) Rapid loss of adult honey bee population despite the presence of queen, capped brood, and food reserves 3) Absence or delayed robbing of the food reserves 4) Loss not attributable to varroa or nosema loads.”
