Key Takeaways
- The 2025–26 U.S. Beekeeping Survey recorded annual honey bee colony losses of 39.9%, down from record highs of 55.1% in 2023–24 and 55.6% in 2024–25.
- More than 2,300 beekeepers managing 219,000 colonies participated in the survey, representing approximately 13.2% of the USDA's estimated 2.4 million managed honey-producing colonies.
- Winter losses stood at 30.3% — still around 10 percentage points above the level beekeepers consider acceptable to their operations.
- Backyard beekeepers managing fewer than 50 colonies experienced higher losses than commercial operators managing over 500, highlighting that no operation is immune to the pressures facing honey bees.
- The survey is led by Auburn University in collaboration with Oregon State University and the Apiary Inspectors of America.
US Honey Bee Colony Losses Fall to 39.9% in 2025–26 Survey
The 2025–26 U.S. Beekeeping Survey has recorded annual honey bee colony losses of 39.9% for the period April 2025 to April 2026 — a significant improvement from the record losses of 55.1% and 55.6% posted in the two preceding years, but still well above the 15–20% level that beekeepers consider sustainable. The survey was led by Auburn University in collaboration with Oregon State University and the Apiary Inspectors of America, with data from more than 2,300 beekeepers managing 219,000 colonies across the country.
The survey covers approximately 13.2% of the USDA's estimated 2.4 million managed honey-producing colonies in the US. Prior to the two record loss years, the country maintained around 2.6 million colonies.
An Improvement, But Still a Crisis
While the 2025–26 figure represents a return to loss rates seen through much of the past decade, industry leaders were cautious about framing the result as progress.
“While it's encouraging to see colony loss rates come down from last year's historic highs, losing nearly 40% of managed colonies in a single year is not a victory — it's a crisis in slow motion. Our industry and the crops that depend on it cannot sustain these levels of losses year after year. We need real action now before our industry reaches a point of no return. We must continue to invest in research, support, and solutions that get these numbers down closer to the truly acceptable level of 15–20%,” said Steven Coy, President of the American Honey Producers Association.
Losses during winter were higher than during summer. The winter loss rate of 30.3% was approximately 10 percentage points above the threshold beekeepers regard as acceptable. The survey also found that backyard beekeepers managing fewer than 50 colonies lost a higher proportion of their bees than commercial operators managing over 500, indicating that the pressures facing honey bee colonies are not isolated to any single operation type.
Parasites, Poor Forage and Mounting Costs
The survey's lead researcher pointed to the structural pressures underlying the numbers.
“Beekeepers and their colonies are continually looking to overcome pressure caused by parasites and poor forage. In recent years, this has meant more and more investment in time, tools and, of course, money as they try to stay afloat. It's been a very challenging time for beekeepers, and this continues despite the welcome news of lower losses compared to the last two years,” said Geoff Williams, Director of the Bee Center at Auburn University and lead of the U.S. Beekeeping Survey.
The survey is funded and supported by the One Hive Foundation, Project Apis m., the National Honey Board, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the American Beekeeping Federation, and the American Honey Producers Association. Full results are available at apiaryinspectors.org, and an interactive dashboard covering 2023–25 survey data is accessible at aub.ie/us-beekeeping-survey-app.
