Reason For High Colony Losses This Year

The year has seen a steep decline in the population of bees in colonies by almost 40%. This is reported by beekeepers all over the country and has become a topic of concern for most people. Honey bees today are the backbone of the agricultural industry as they contribute to natural pollination of more than 80% of cultivated crops.

What Caused the Steep Decline in Population?

There are many causes that contributed to high colony losses of the honey bees. A few of them are as listed below:

1.    Varroa Mites- Also called the Varroa destructor, it is a parasitic mite that targets honeybees. They attach themselves to the body of the bee, thereby weakening it. The mites cause the disease Varroosis, which spreads from one colony to another, affecting the majority of the population.

2.    Shortage of High-quality Food - There is a lack of nutrition-rich pollen sources for the bees due to rapidly changing land use patterns.

3.    Pesticide Exposure- Exposure of the colonies to pesticides and other harmful chemicals has also been a large contributor to the decline of bee colonies.

4.    Environmental Changes- The increase in the number of wildfires, floods, extreme weather changes, and other similar practices is also a contributor to high colony losses.

5.    Beekeeping Practices- Management of the apiary and traditional beekeeping practices no longer seem to be working due to the failing colonies.

Why is this a Major Concern?

Honeybees play a major role today in crop cultivation. They pollinate almost 80% of cultivated crops. Due to this reason, the high-losses of the colony is a troubling factor that has gathered attention worldwide. Being the major pollinator of food crops, they are a significant contributor to the nation’s economy.

What are the Steps to Prevent It?

Some measures that can be adapted to prevent high colony losses are as follows:

1.    High Quality Forage -- Provide high-quality forage, clean water and meet the nutritional needs of the colony.

2.    Balanced Diet -- Taking care of the timings when feeding the bees and paying attention to the composition of the diet. Pure sugar syrup can cause oxidative and energetic stress in the bees in excessive quantities.

3.    Controlling the Varroa Destructor in the Colonies- Being one of the major causes of colony losses, ensuring that they are controlled in the colonies can help prevent a decline in the bee population.

4.    Improvising when there is a Shortage of Feed- To ensure that there is no protein deficiency, use sugar syrup mixed with supplements as a feed for the bees.

5.    Meeting Hygiene and Sanitary Requirements in the Apiary- This can avoid pests and other common diseases in the colony.

6.    Better Beekeeping Practices- Regular feeding, maintenance of the apiaries and other similar factors can ensure that colony loss is minimized during beekeeping. This also includes upgrading tools and equipment that can better serve the colonies.

As climate and weather changes are also a significant contributor to the high colony losses, more research and studies are needed that can help the bee colonies to thrive even under challenging conditions.