Michigan Beekeepers Face Worst Losses in 20 Years

Bee colonies across Michigan and the U.S. are collapsing, with winter survival rates at historic lows—some losing up to 100%.

What Bees Are So Important to Our Lives

Bees are vital for more than just their honey.. Bees are the primary pollinators of many food crops we rely on, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Bees' pollination process is essential for the reproduction of these plants, ensuring that we have a stable and diverse food supply.

Bees contribute to healthier plants and animals and play a major role in the agricultural industry, with pollination services valued at billions of dollars a year in the U.S. alone. The honey, beeswax, royal jelly, and pollen have various uses in food, medicine, and other industries.

Read More: Flesh-Eating Parasite Nears U.S. Livestock Farms

In short, bees are important to humans, Michigan, and the world.

Michigan's Bee Colony Devastation Worst in 20 Years

According to WZZM, researchers have been studying the deaths and massive die-offs of honey bees across the nation and discovered that beekeepers averaged a loss of 70%-100%. Researchers remain uncertain about the cause.

Many Michigan beekeepers say the hives have not been surviving the winter. Part of the problem is that the warmer temperatures in November caused many bees to abandon the hive and not return to protect the queen. When the bees go out when it's warmer to find food and there is none, they continue to look elsewhere.

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Most beekeepers in Michigan only had 25% of their hives survive the winter, while many of the spring honeybees are not surviving. Hopefully, Michigan's bees will experience a better spring and summer, followed by a more stable winter, so the numbers grow in the right direction.

👇BELOW: Honey Bees at Work👇