Wednesday, December 15, 2021
A Washington State University study says a feed supplement may help honeybees survive blueberry pollination as US beekeepers keep losing about 40 percent of colonies a year.
A Washington State University team says a feed supplement may help honeybees survive blueberry pollination, a job some beekeepers now refuse to take. Washington grows more blueberries than any other state. Growers there struggle to rent hives because colonies often die after the bloom, and no one has pinned down why. In a study published in Entomological Communications, WSU professor Lisa DeVetter and the Israeli company H4Bees reported that colonies fed a powdered supplement called Nano-B-Feed grew larger than untreated colonies. The team thinks the feed may help bees cope with pesticide and fungicide residues. WSU says more research is needed to confirm how it works.
The blueberry problem sits inside a national one. US beekeepers lost 39.9 percent of their managed colonies between April 2025 and April 2026, according to the U.S. Beekeeping Survey led by Auburn University. That is down from record losses of 55.1 percent and 55.6 percent in the two years before. It is still about double the 15 to 20 percent beekeepers consider sustainable. Backyard beekeepers lost 54.8 percent of their colonies, a higher share than commercial operations at 38.7 percent. Steven Coy of the American Honey Producers Association called the current rate a crisis in slow motion.
Researchers point to several causes working together. Project Apis m sums them up as parasites, pathogens, pesticides and poor nutrition. The varroa mite feeds on bees and spreads viruses inside the hive. Some mite treatments are also losing their effect, according to Project Apis m. In late October, the Honey Bee Health Coalition updated its free varroa decision tool to help beekeepers pick treatments that still work.
Honeybees pollinate about $15 billion worth of US crops each year, according to USDA figures cited by the AVMA. That includes more than 130 fruits, nuts and vegetables. Fewer healthy hives mean higher pollination fees for growers. Those costs can show up later in the price of almonds, berries and apples. Honey itself is climbing. One Montana beekeeper told NBC Montana his honey prices rose almost 20 percent this year. Pollination gaps are one of the quieter paths to food shortages on store shelves.
A home garden feels pollinator losses first. When squash, cucumbers or berries flower but set little fruit, poor pollination is a likely cause. Plant flowers that bloom from spring through fall so bees have food all season. Skip broad-spectrum insecticides while plants are in bloom. A small paintbrush lets you hand-pollinate squash in a pinch. A survival garden depends on pollinators as much as on soil and water. A family garden sized to your needs is easier to keep covered in blooms. If you plan to keep your own hives, learn the signs of a bee sting allergic reaction before your first inspection.
Where it stands now: the WSU results are early, and the team is discussing a larger study. Colony losses have eased from their peak but remain high heading into winter, when most colonies die. This week, add pollinator flowers to your spring seed order and plan where they will go. Be Prepared Not Scared!
