Honey production in the United States has nosedived 42 percent yearly, according to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on May 13, Wednesday. This honey shortage could have a domino effect on the bee pollination industry and commercial honey prices.
The summer drop in beehive production was 27 percent. This was the first time ever the season's drop was greater than the winter decline, which was 23 percent.
The USDA survey included 6,100 beekeepers who were managing nearly 400,000 bee colonies. That is around 16 percent of the total managed honey bee colonies in the U.S.
Hawaii was the least affected state by the beehive crisis in America, with a loss of less than 14 percent. Meanwhile, Oklahoma was the most affected state and its lost over 60 percent of its beehives.
Jeff Pettis, co-author of the survey, said that in the past winter beehive losses were considered more significant, according to NYC News. The reason is that it is critical for a bee colony to survive the freezing winter temperatures.
However, experts now believe that the beehive loss rate in summer is also important. That is due to the effect on commercial beekeepers, which could cause a honey crisis in America.
Another concern among entomologists is the high loss rates of queen bees. Scientists are uncertain about the cause, though.
A 2012 USDA study discovered that the increasing beehive losses were mainly caused by the collapse of bee colonies. That resulted from issues such as extreme weather, agricultural pesticides, and poor nutrition.
Some environmentalists are calling for officials to review "neonicotinoid pesticides," according to The Baltimore Sun. Various studies have linked the manmade chemicals to the recent bee population decline.
The USDA has estimated that honeybees yearly add over $15 billion to the value of American crops. However, the current beehive losses could boost the cost of bee pollination services, which would raise commercial honey prices.