Honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in Minnesota as of January 1, 2016 totaled 37,000 colonies, according to the Minnesota Field Office of USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service.

This is 32% above the 28,000 colonies on January 1, 2015. However, by the end of the first quarters in 2015 and 2016, after additional bee colonies moved into the state, there were 74,000 and 39,000, respectively. So 2016 started with nearly half as many bee colonies, compared to 2015.

Honey bee colony numbers still down

During 2015, honey bee colonies on April 1, July 1, and October 1 were 71,000, 133,000 and 104,000, respectively. The quarter of July-September 2015 had the largest maximum number of colonies, with 136,000, while January-March 2016 had the smallest maximum number of colonies with 39,000.

Honey bee colonies lost for operations with five or more colonies during the quarter of January-March 2016 was 6,000, 62% more than 3,700 lost during the same quarter the year before. The quarter of July-September 2015 had a loss of 32,000 colonies or 24% of the maximum colonies, the highest honey bee colony loss of the five quarters. The quarter January-March 2015, at 3,700 or 5%, showed the smallest loss.

Varroa mites were the number one stressor for operations with five or more colonies during three quarters in 2015 and the number two stressor during the remaining two quarters surveyed.

The quarter of October-December 2015 showed the highest percentage of varroa mites, with nearly 44% of Minnesota’s honey bee colonies affected.

Pesticide was the number two stressor during three quarters in 2015 and the number third stressor in the first quarter in 2016.

Nationally, there were 2.59 million honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies as of January 1, 2016. This is 8% below the 2.82 million colonies on January 1, 2015.

Varroa mites were the number one stressor for operations with five or more colonies acrpss the U.S. during each of the quarters surveyed.