ARS | Publication request: Reviewing colony losses and Colony Collapse Disorder in the United States

Submitted to: Journal of Apicultural Research
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: December 1, 2009
Publication Date: December 3, 2009
Citation: Ellis, J., Evans, J.D., Pettis, J.S. 2009. Reviewing colony losses and Colony Collapse Disorder in the United States. Journal of Apicultural Research. 49:134-136.

Technical Abstract: The beekeeping industry in the United States has faced a number of obstacles to healthy bee management in recent decades. These obstacles range from arthropod pests such as tracheal mites (Acrapis woodi), varroa mites (Varroa destructor), and small hive beetles (Aethina tumida) to pathogenic diseases including Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) and nosema (Nosema spp). According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the number of managed honey bee colonies used for honey production in the U.S. has decreased steadily since the late 1940’s, with the most notable decline occurring in the late 1980’s with the introduction of Varroa mites into the U.S. Here we summarize recent high winter losses in the U.S., placing these losses in historical context and attempting to distinguish ‘Colony Collapse Disorder’ from other causes of honey bee decline.