Honey Bee Colonies 

May 12, 2016

Executive Briefing

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service
Background – NASS Honey Bee Surveys

Surveys Content

Honey

Maximum number of honey producing colonies during the 

year, yield, production, stocks, and price by State and United 

States.

Cost of Pollination

Cost of honey bees pollinating crops by State and United 

States. 

Honey Bee Colonies

Honey bee colonies held on first of the quarter, maximum

number of colonies, loss of colonies, renovated, and newly 

added colonies by State. Colony loss percentage by State and 

United States. Colony health stressors and loss percentages by 

State and United States. Colonies reported lost with Colony 

Collapse Disorder symptoms for the United States.

Page 2 May 12, 2016
Background – Honey Bee Colonies

Questionnaire Development

Honey producers, commercial pollinators, and hobbyist beekeepers were interviewed. 

1) Data needs

2) Data collection approach and methods

Draft questionnaires were provided to universities, honey bee researchers, and other USDA 

agencies for review.

Draft questionnaire was posted on the internet by Office of Management and Budget for 

public review on March 6, 2015 .

Page 3 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies 

Survey Overview

Population NASS list frame and qualify as a farm

Two samples

Operations with five or more colonies, sampled from the 

Bee and Honey Survey, quarterly panel 

Operations with less than five colonies, sampled from the 

NASS List Frame

Sample size 3,300 operations with five or more colonies

20,000 operations with less than five colonies

Collection methods Mail, Telephone, Internet, Face-to-Face Interview

Primary data items

Honey bee colonies held on first of quarter, colony loss, 

renovated, and newly added colonies by State and United 

States. Colonies affected by stressors by State and United 

States. Colonies lost with Colony Collapse Disorder for the 

United States. 

Page 4 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies 

Terms and Definitions

Lost

A completely failed colony, loss of most workers, and 

possibly the queen. Colony is no longer viable. Sometimes 

referred to as a dead out.

Renovated An existing colony that was requeened or received a nuc or 

package. 

Maximum colonies

Refers to the sum of colonies in a state on the first of the 

quarter plus all those moved into the state during that 

period.

May 12, 2016

Page 5
Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

May 12, 2016

Item

Jan 1, 2015

(000)

April 1, 2015

(000)

July 1, 2015

(000)

Oct 1, 2015

(000)

Jan 1, 2016

(000)

Colonies 2,825 2,850 3,133 2,875 2,595

During the Quarter

Item Jan – Mar

(000)

Apr – Jun

(000)

Jul – Sep

(000)

Oct – Dec

(000)

Jan – Mar

(000)

Lost 500 353 457 412 429

Renovated 271 693 303 159 158

Added 547 662 173 117 378

Page 6
Honey Bee Colonies by Quarter

Operations with Five or More Colonies

1

st of Quarter Colonies, Lost, and Renovated During Quarter

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

Jan, 2015 Apr Jul Oct Jan, 2016

Thousand colonies

Colonies on 1st Renovated during Quarter Lost during Quarter

Page 7 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

Quarter Lost

(percent)

Renovated

(percent)

January-March 2015 18 10

April-June 2015 12 24

July-September 2015 15 10

October-December 2015 14 6

January-March 2016 17 6

Page 8 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

January 1, 2016 as percent of January 1, 2015

Page 9 May 12, 2016

Percent Change DECREASE NC INCREASE

7

-14 108

-21 71

-31

-20

- 4

43

11

17 -28

32

2

- 7

33

-29

-13

3

52

32

-29

- 4

82

5

42

-14

15

-23

44

-11

-37

- 9

-11

- 3

United States: -8%

-40

- 5

26

100

NC

-19

50

38

33

-51
Pollinator Movement of Honey Bee Colonies

Background Information

Page 10 March 25, 2016
Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

January - March 2015

Page 11 May 12, 2016 Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies 0 - 19,999 20,000 - 39,9999 40,000 - 59,999 60,000 - 79,999

80,00 - 99,999 100,000 - 499,999 1,000,000 +
Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

April - June 2015

Page 12 May 12, 2016 Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies 0 - 19,999 20,000 - 39,9999 40,000 - 59,999 60,000 - 79,999

80,00 - 99,999 100,000 - 499,999 1,000,000 +
Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

July - September 2015

Page 13 May 12, 2016 Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies 0 - 19,999 20,000 - 39,9999 40,000 - 59,999 60,000 - 79,999

80,00 - 99,999 100,000 - 499,999 500,000 - 999,999
Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

October - December 2015

Page 14 May 12, 2016 Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies 0 - 19,999 20,000 - 39,9999 40,000 - 59,999 60,000 - 79,999

80,00 - 99,999 100,000 - 499,999 1,000,000 +
Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies

Operations with Five or More Colonies

January - March 2016

Page 15 May 12, 2016 Maximum Number of Honey Bee Colonies 0 - 19,999 20,000 - 39,9999 40,000 - 59,999 60,000 - 79,999

80,00 - 99,999 100,000 - 499,999 1,000,000 +
Percent of Honey Bee Colonies Lost

Operations with Five or More Colonies

January - March 2015

Page 16 May 12, 2016 Honey Bee Colonies Percent Lost 0 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 - 20

21 - 25 26 - 30 31 - 35 36 +

26

13 11

15 12

22

13

14

4

4

40 22

18

23

39

16

6

41

22

19

5

11

15

6

8

12

10

22

27

1

48

23

8

31

15

United States: 18%

5

21

10

14

13

28

13

30

28

17
Honey Bee Colonies Percent Lost 0 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 - 20

12

17 14

10 8

3

16

19

1

9

14 10

6

10

12

4

11

3

2

11

10

12

4

2

6

10

12

3

8

6

11

8

6

8

5

United States: 12%

7

10

11

13

2

4

4

12

7

13

Percent of Honey Bee Colonies Lost

Operations with Five or More Colonies

April - June 2015

Page 17 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies Percent Lost 0 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 15

16 - 20 21 - 25 26 - 30

16

15 30

10 15

1

16

12

19

11

10 11

8

11

13

4

8

9

8

8

24

10

9

7

8

1

25

14

12

19

8

1

9

7

17

United States: 15%

18

12

12

22

1

9

12

4

15

7

Percent of Honey Bee Colonies Lost

Operations with Five or More Colonies

July - September 2015

Page 18 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies Percent Lost 0 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 15 31 - 35 36 +

8

31 9

12 10

7

14

15

5

15

5 10

12

40

13

7

1

8

6

12

10

4

5

8

10 3

5

9

10

13

13

7

8

11

13

United States: 14%

4

11

10

7

15

10

7

9

14

5

Percent of Honey Bee Colonies Lost

Operations with Five or More Colonies

October - December 2015

Page 19 May 12, 2016
Percent of Honey Bee Colonies Lost

Operations with Five or More Colonies

January - March 2016

Page 20 May 12, 2016 Honey Bee Colonies Percent Lost 0 - 5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 - 20

21 - 25 26 - 30 36 +

23

16 19

15 8

10

17

20

2

7

17 12

19

21

19

14

5

22

12

14

15

8

10

2

2

12

26

13

10

10

26

48

3

23

21

United States: 17%

1

19

10

14

8

17

10

23

13

7
Honey Bee Colonies on 1st

Quarter Operations with Five 

or More Colonies

Operations with Less 

than Five Colonies

January 1, 2015 2,824,610 50,000

April 1, 2015 2,849,500 43,000

July 1, 2015 3,132,880 52,000

October1, 2015 2,874,760 49,000

January 1, 2016 2,594,590 Not available

Page 21 May 12, 2016
Honey Bee Colonies Affected by Stressors

By Size of Operation

May 12, 2016

Less than

5 Colonies

Five or More Colonies

During the Quarter

2015 2015 2016

Item Annual

(percent)

Jan – Mar

(percent)

Apr – Jun

(percent)

Jul – Sep

(percent)

Oct – Dec

(percent)

Jan – Mar

(percent)

Varroa

mites

19.8 25.2 43.4 41.2 37.0 34.3

Other pests 

& parasites

12.5 8.6 19.5 17.6 11.4 12.6

Diseases 2.2 3.1 4.9 8.0 5.2 6.2

Pesticides 4.9 7.4 16.6 15.2 9.5 10.5

Other 15.5 6.9 11.6 8.8 7.3 7.0

Unknown 20.8 4.3 3.5 4.8 6.9 5.4

Page 22
Honey Bee Colonies Lost

With Colony Collapse Disorder Symptoms

By Size of Operation

May 12, 2016

Less than

5 Colonies

Five or More Colonies

During the Quarter

2015 2015 2016

Item Annual

(number)

Jan – Mar

(number)

Apr – Jun

(number)

Jul – Sep

(number)

Oct – Dec

(number)

Jan – Mar

(number)

Lost 7,000 92,250 56,760 88,390 87,610 113,930

CCD Criteria: 1) Little to no build-up of dead bees in the hive or at the hive 

entrance.

2) Rapid loss of adult honey bee population despite the 

presence of queen, capped brood, and food reserves.

3) Absence or delayed robbing of food reserves.

4) Loss not attributable to varroa or nosema loads.

Page 23
Upcoming NASS Reports

Release Date Report Title

May 19 Milk Production

May 20 Cattle on Feed

May 31 Agricultural Prices

June 10 Crop Production

June 21 Milk Production

June 24 Cattle on Feed

Quarterly Hogs and Pigs

June 29 Agricultural Prices

Page 24 May 12, 2016
All Reports Available At

www.nass.usda.gov

For Questions

(202) 720-3570

(800) 727-9540

nass@nass.usda.gov

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service

May 12, 2016