Subscribe now

Life

Largest ever US honeybee die-off has destroyed 1.6 million colonies

Beekeepers often experience some seasonal losses, but this past winter, more than half of all US honeybee colonies died off, potentially the largest loss in US history

By Colin Barras

4 April 2025

Honeybees are vulnerable to seasonal die-offs

Nicholas Klein/Alamy

Honeybees in the US may have just experienced their most severe die-off on record, and we don’t know exactly why.

“As of right now, it does look like this is going to be the largest colony loss that we’ve experienced in at least the last 25 years – and probably in US history,” says Scott McArt at Cornell University, New York.

Beekeepers in the US often experience some colony losses over the winter – for instance, about 37 per cent of…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop