Latest news with #Varroa
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
US honey bee deaths reach record high; Varroa mites threaten crops and drive up food prices
US honey bee colonies are dying at record levels, and scientists say a tiny but devastating parasite is largely to blame. Varroa destructor mites have evolved resistance to a key pesticide, fueling the spread of deadly viruses and threatening a cornerstone of American agriculture. If pollinator populations crash, Americans could see higher grocery bills, fewer fresh produce options, and increased reliance on imported foods. Everyday staples like apples, almonds, blueberries, pumpkins, and melons could become more expensive and less available. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that commercial beekeepers lost more than 60 percent of their colonies between summer 2024 and January 2025, the highest losses ever recorded since nationwide tracking began. That amounts to roughly 1.7 million colonies and an estimated $600 million in economic damage. 'These losses are unprecedented,' said Danielle Downey, executive director of Project Apis m., a nonprofit focused on honey bee health. 'Without immediate intervention, we risk higher food costs, disrupted crop production, and the collapse of many commercial beekeeping operations.' A parasite that bleeds bees dry Live Events Varroa mites, first detected in the US in the 1980s, feed on bees' body fat and blood while transmitting lethal viruses such as deformed wing virus A and B and acute bee paralysis. The USDA's Agricultural Research Service found evidence that mites collected from collapsed colonies across western states were resistant to amitraz, the primary chemical treatment used by US beekeepers for nearly two decades. Impact on US agriculture Bees are critical to pollinating crops that make up about one-third of the American diet, including almonds, apples, blueberries, cucumbers, and melons. The USDA estimates bee-pollinated crops are worth over $20 billion annually in the US and $387 billion globally. California's almond industry alone, which produces 80 percent of the world's almonds, relies on 1.7 million hives for pollination each spring. This year's bee shortage has already raised concerns about the upcoming harvest. Multiple threats, compounding losses While pesticide-resistant mites are the prime suspect, experts stress that bee mortality is also driven by pesticides, poor nutrition, pathogens, and poor hive management. Some beekeepers say fungicides and neonicotinoid pesticides, banned in Europe but still used in the US, further weaken colonies. Researchers are racing to breed 'hygienic' bees capable of detecting and removing mites from their hives. Texas A&M University recently launched the state's first bee breeding center, aiming to produce mite-resistant queens for commercial use. For now, many beekeepers are switching between different treatments to slow resistance and protect their remaining hives. But scientists warn the window for action is narrowing.
Economic Times
14 hours ago
- Health
- Economic Times
US honey bee deaths reach record high; Varroa mites threaten crops and drive up food prices
US honey bee colonies are facing unprecedented losses due to pesticide-resistant Varroa mites, leading to the spread of deadly viruses. This threatens American agriculture, potentially increasing food costs and reducing the availability of essential crops like almonds and apples. Researchers are urgently seeking solutions, including breeding mite-resistant bees, to mitigate the devastating impact on pollination and food security. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A parasite that bleeds bees dry Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Impact on US agriculture Multiple threats, compounding losses US honey bee colonies are dying at record levels, and scientists say a tiny but devastating parasite is largely to blame. Varroa destructor mites have evolved resistance to a key pesticide, fueling the spread of deadly viruses and threatening a cornerstone of American pollinator populations crash, Americans could see higher grocery bills, fewer fresh produce options, and increased reliance on imported foods. Everyday staples like apples, almonds, blueberries, pumpkins, and melons could become more expensive and less US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that commercial beekeepers lost more than 60 percent of their colonies between summer 2024 and January 2025, the highest losses ever recorded since nationwide tracking began. That amounts to roughly 1.7 million colonies and an estimated $600 million in economic damage.'These losses are unprecedented,' said Danielle Downey, executive director of Project Apis m., a nonprofit focused on honey bee health. 'Without immediate intervention, we risk higher food costs, disrupted crop production, and the collapse of many commercial beekeeping operations.'Varroa mites, first detected in the US in the 1980s, feed on bees' body fat and blood while transmitting lethal viruses such as deformed wing virus A and B and acute bee paralysis. The USDA's Agricultural Research Service found evidence that mites collected from collapsed colonies across western states were resistant to amitraz, the primary chemical treatment used by US beekeepers for nearly two are critical to pollinating crops that make up about one-third of the American diet, including almonds, apples, blueberries, cucumbers, and melons. The USDA estimates bee-pollinated crops are worth over $20 billion annually in the US and $387 billion almond industry alone, which produces 80 percent of the world's almonds, relies on 1.7 million hives for pollination each spring. This year's bee shortage has already raised concerns about the upcoming pesticide-resistant mites are the prime suspect, experts stress that bee mortality is also driven by pesticides, poor nutrition, pathogens, and poor hive management. Some beekeepers say fungicides and neonicotinoid pesticides, banned in Europe but still used in the US, further weaken are racing to breed 'hygienic' bees capable of detecting and removing mites from their hives. Texas A&M University recently launched the state's first bee breeding center, aiming to produce mite-resistant queens for commercial now, many beekeepers are switching between different treatments to slow resistance and protect their remaining hives. But scientists warn the window for action is narrowing.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Pesticides put pollinators at risk, threaten global crop yields: Pant varsity study
Rudrapur: A recent study conducted by the entomology department at GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Udham Singh Nagar district's Pantnagar has raised concerns over the widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides, linking them to a steep decline in pollinator populations – particularly honeybees – which poses a serious threat to biodiversity and global agricultural productivity. The research, led by head of entomology department Pramod Mall, found that neonicotinoids and chemicals like fipronil are harming pollinators not only by impairing their reproductive abilities but also by disrupting their navigation and feeding behaviour. "Prolonged exposure, even at low concentrations, can severely weaken bees' immune systems, making them more susceptible to infections like Nosema and infestations such as Varroa mites," said Mall. The study also highlights that rising global temperatures are causing a temporal and spatial mismatch between flowering plants and pollinators, disrupting pollination. "Pollinators, particularly bees, are facing a dual burden — climate-induced shifts in flowering patterns and the toxic effects of pesticides. This mismatch can result in failed pollination cycles," said Mall. Researchers discovered pesticide residues in the bodies of numerous bees. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Skype Phone Alternative Undo Alarmingly, 11.2% of the tested bee samples were contaminated with imidacloprid – an insecticide made to mimic nicotine – while 18.7% contained its major metabolite, 6-chloronicotinic acid. "These chemical traces can lead to neurological impairment and even death in pollinators. We also found that certain fungicides, when present alongside pesticides, interfere with bees' detoxification systems, and create lethal synergistic effects," Mall added. The researchers explained that the exposure pathways of pesticides vary depending on how and where they are applied. While pesticides sprayed on leaves or soil seep into nectar and pollen, which are then carried back to hives, contaminated water sources also serve as another route of exposure. To mitigate the crisis, Mall advocated for reducing pesticide use and adopting eco-friendly alternatives. "We must embrace integrated pest management (IPM) techniques and explore biological control methods to limit pollinators' exposure to harmful chemicals," he said. Echoing similar concerns, agri-scientist Anil Hafeez said, "If we fail to safeguard pollinators today, we risk collapsing tomorrow's food systems. Bees are not optional — they are indispensable allies in ensuring global food sustainability and ecological balance."
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Virus spreading mite blamed for 60% loss of bee colonies needed to pollinate food crops
A catastrophic loss of bee colonies over the winter has been blamed on a mite that injects a virus into the bees and spreads the deadly pathogen throughout their colonies. Between 60% to 70% of the bees used to pollinate crops, including almonds in California, apples in New York and blueberries and watermelons in Central Florida have been lost, according to Robbie Bell, a beekeeper who runs an apiary at the Honey Bell Bee Co. in Fort Meade. 'We kind of figured it was a virus,' he said of a recent USDA confirmation of the cause. 'This year was a bad year' compared to the usual 30% to 40% casualty rate among the pollinators. The U.S. Agricultural Department issued a news release on June 3 saying its research has linked 'early 2025 honeybee losses to high viral loads and mite resistance.' 'The findings point to alarmingly high levels of viral infections — vectored by Varroa destructor (Varroa) mites with resistant genes to a common treatment — as key drivers of colony collapse,' the USDA said. It turns out the trips across the United States for bees to pollenate the crops can be very hazardous for bees. They encounter agricultural fungicides, pesticides and often drink water from farm ponds laden with runoff from the application of such chemicals. 'That's another layer to the puzzle,' said Bell of several potential factors weakening the pollinators. The USDA echoed such factors in its release. Factors such as pesticide exposure, poor nutrition and environmental conditions may have exacerbated the losses, the USDA said. Bell estimates that about 80% of agricultural crops in the United States are pollenated by bees, as butterflies, bumblebees and other pollinator insects that once occurred naturally have declined in population in the past 10 to 20 years. Regarding almonds, Bell said 100% of the crop is pollinated by bees. The demand for bees to pollinate has Bell's bees booked up years in advance. But smaller beekeepers may have fared much better, according to Jan Betters at Pat's Apiaries, which has some hives in the Wahneta and other areas of Polk County. The Auburndale-based operation takes about 100 hives to an Alturas blueberry farm every year and sells honey locally at farmers markets. 'We are very careful to take out bees to farms that only spray when bees are in the hives,' she said. The practice keeps their bees away from potential environmental hazards but in large scale agricultural setting in miles long groves, such practices are more difficult to coordinate. Their die off rate is about 10% to 20% per year, a loss much less than the rates at commercial beekeepers. According to the USDA, after reports from beekeepers about the die off, a study analyzed samples from six major commercial beekeeping operations affected by the losses. The samples provided 'the most detailed evidence to date of the biological factors behind the widespread die-offs.' 'Collectively, these operations managed nearly 184,000 colonies — roughly 7% of all U.S. hives — and reported losses averaging over 60%, just as bees were being staged for California's almond pollination season," the USDA said. 'The beekeeping and bee health community appreciates the work of the USDA-ARS bee research laboratories. They quickly took samples of lost colonies and now that they've released the analysis, beekeepers can better understand what happened and take action,' said Matt Mulica, senior project director at Keystone Policy Center, which facilitates the Honey Bee Health Coalition. 'We understand more analysis is occurring and we look forward to learning more about the other potential causes of these significant colony losses,' he said in the release. Researchers found high levels of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV-A and DWV-B) and Acute Bee Paralysis Virus in both pooled colony samples and individual bees showing shaking and other signs of morbidity, the USDA said. Experimental inoculation further confirmed these viruses as the likely cause of mortality in collapsing colonies. Crucially, all Varroa mites collected from affected colonies tested positive for a genetic marker linked to resistance to amitraz, the most commonly used miticide in commercial beekeeping, the USDA said. This finding underscores the need for new tools and pest management strategies. 'This is a critical moment for honey bee health,' said Patty Sundberg, president of the American Beekeeping Federation. 'We can't continue relying on a single line of defense against Varroa. These mites are evolving quickly, and our management tools must evolve just as fast. We also need to find treatments for these viruses and we await the release of how pesticide exposure and poor nutrition amplify the impacts from these viruses.' Steven Coy, president of the American Honey Producers Association, added, 'The findings released today are a crucial first step in providing beekeepers actionable information. It highlights the necessity for additional miticides and methods of controlling varroa and the associated viruses. Agricultural Center: Polk County OKs initial contracts for long-sought facility south of Bartow We urge the USDA to provide the results of the impacts of nutritional, chemical and environmental stress as soon as possible. Beekeepers need a complete picture of what happened in order to make sound decisions regarding the health of our colonies.' In 2021, the Honey Bee Health Coalition published "Guide to Varroa Mite Controls for Commercial Beekeeping Operations," which laid out a vision that addresses the risks of amitraz resistance created by off-label use. The continuous use of off-label amitraz, with increasing dosages (as it becomes less effective), is likely to cause amitraz to lose its effectiveness, just as other products like coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate have become largely ineffective for controlling Varroa mites. The Honey Bee Health Coalition continues to support innovation in honey bee health, including research, tool development and education aimed at helping beekeepers and farmers manage evolving threats. The coalition will release an updated version of its "Tools for Varroa Management" guide later this year. The guide is a key resource for beekeepers, providing science-based strategies for monitoring and controlling Varroa populations. According to Noah Wilson-Rich, founder and chief scientific officer at the Urban Bee Lab, for the first time, commercial beehive losses have surpassed those of hobbyist and backyard beekeepers.' The Boston-based lab found that two of every three beehives used for crop pollination have been lost. 'Last year marked the first time the U.S. surpassed the 50% threshold of beehive deaths, and this year is the first in which commercial beehive losses outpaced residential ones. In 2014, the U.S. government set a loss threshold of 15%. 'We have well surpassed that, with losses now exceeding 60%, and a jump of around 10% in just the last year alone,' Wilson-Rich said. In response, beekeepers have been rapidly replacing dead beehives by splitting one beehive into two or more, he said. Yet, these losses only take into account honeybees and ignore the 4,000 other species of native bees in North America, with populations going unmonitored without intervention. His lab confirmed the mite responsible for the commercial bee die offs. Meanwhile, he said, 'My research team and collaborators around the world focus on AI sensors and blockchain technology to cure bees of diseases caused by mites, as well as to recover from pesticide exposure, as a next-generation approach to improving bee health.' This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Mite blamed for 60% loss of bee colonies that pollinate food crops
The Advertiser
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Call for urgent financial assistance to save Lower Hunter vegetable grower
Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list. Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list. Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list. Ten years ago, Matt Dennis was faced with a field of flood-damaged pumpkins, and he contemplated ploughing them back into the ground. Who was going to buy a muddy pumpkin? Along came Amorelle Dempster and Slow Food Hunter Valley, which had plans to save and sell the muddy pumpkins through a market in Maitland. That decision led to the eventual establishment of Maitland's Slow Food Earth Markets - an outlet that the Dennis family from Nebo Farm, East Maitland, have supported since it began. This week, on Thursday the muddy pumpkins return to the Earth Market as flooding last month has again taken a toll on Nebo Farm. Ms Dempster visited the farm this week and said 20 tonnes of pumpkins will be ploughed back into the ground, but five tonnes were above the water level and are now ready to market. "It's devastating that so much of Nebo's crops have been lost in the latest flood event. It was the floods ten years ago that started our drive to establish a growers' market in Maitland, and now, should the Dennis family say enough is enough, what will happen to our Earth Market, as they are the last commercial grower in the Lower Hunter," she said. "We need to protect growers like the Dennis family. Fresh and local produce is simply so critical, not only for food security but also for the supply of high-quality produce. "Quality produce means better food and a healthier community." To help save the farm's vegetable production, Ms Dempster said the NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, should declare a Natural Disaster Category D for the region. Such a declaration would invoke an exceptional circumstances assistance beyond Categories A, B and C, usually considered once the impact of the disaster has been assessed and specific recovery gaps identified. Category D assistance is requested from the states and requires agreement from the Prime Minister. This would ordinarily be grants, but may include loans. A Category B declaration was made on 21/05/2025. Ms Dempster said the farmers needed urgent financial assistance to replant and buy seedlings. "The floods have wiped out their crops and their seedlings. Tens of thousands lost - so they need the government to act immediately," she said. Highlighting the difficulties of growing vegetables only a couple of years after the Varroa mite arrived, and all the local bees were destroyed, fertilising the pumpkin plants became another challenge for the family. As soon as the government allowed bees back in the district, 20 hives arrived at Nebo Farm, and they had been doing a fantastic job fertilising the pumpkins and other plants, Ms Dempster said. So this Thursday at the Earth Markets at the Levee - pumpkins are top of the buying list.
