A new threat to bees is on the move in Europe. Tropilaelaps mercedesae, a parasitic mite, is emerging as potentially even more devastating than the “worst bee killer,” the Varroa destructor. Parasitic mite infestations are now threatening economies worldwide as they wipe out massive bee populations, sending ripples of losses across multiple sectors.
The world’s worst honey bee parasite, the Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite, was detected in South Australia for the first time, authorities confirmed on September 3, 2025. The detection occurred in a managed hive from a Queensland consignment located near Pooginook in the Riverland region.
Beekeepers across the United States reported record managed honeybee colony losses between April 2024 and April 2025, with over 60% of hives lost in Texas, according to preliminary survey results and beekeeper accounts. Nationwide, an estimated 55.6% of colonies died—marking the highest loss rate since official monitoring began in 2010.
Extreme weather events, including significant floods and wildfires, have wreaked havoc on Chile’s bee colonies, essential pollinators for the country’s vital avocado and almond crops. The events, described as the worst in a decade, have critically endangered a key component of the South American nation’s multi-billion-dollar food industry.
Crop yields for major crops such as apples, blueberries, and cherries across the U.S. are being limited by a lack of pollinators due to the decline of the wild bee population, according to new research, which was the most comprehensive study of its kind. Researchers…
Beekeepers across the U.S. lost 43.9 percent of honeybee colonies between April 2019 and April 2020, with the majority of the losses recorded during the summertime, according to the preliminary results of the 14th yearly nationwide survey conducted by Bee Informed…
Honeybee colonies in the United States reduced in number by 30 percent over the 2010-2011 winter, according to a recently released annual survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA).The loss was actually lower
