Pollinators in Peril: Local Beekeepers Sound Alarm over Historic Bee Losses

Bee distributors and keepers have reported mysterious and dramatic spikes in honey bee die-offs recently, and local beekeepers say the impacts of the deaths may soon be felt at farms and grocery stores if they continue.

Hundreds of millions of bees have died in the past eight months, according to experts, threatening to plunge beekeepers and farmers - both here on Delmarva and nationally - into a crisis.

There is currently no consensus on what is causing the die-offs. Dr. Jeff Pettis, an entomologist in Salisbury and President of Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, tells WBOC it could be a complex array of factors.

“The symptoms are very similar this year,” Pettis said, referencing a similar die-off 20 years ago, “But it's poor nutrition, pesticide exposure, pathogens and pests. We have a parasitic mite that affects bees very severely. And so as a beekeeper, we try to manage that pest. But even with that, if the bees don't have good forage, good nutrition, good flowers, they're not going to do well."

Pettis said he has lost about 50% of his hives this year.

Local beekeeper and president of the Lower Eastern Shore Beekeepers Association Lauren Pascarella said she hasn’t seen losses of this magnitude across the industry before and called it the worst die-off in the country’s history. Pettis keeps colonies in multiple locations on the Eastern Shore, including Whaleyville, MD.

If the losses continue, experts say food production in the United States could see a dramatic shift for the worse. Bees pollinate 75% of U.S. fruits, vegetables, and nuts - at least $15 billion worth of crops in total.

In Maryland alone, bees are critically important for pollinating $40 million worth of crops, according to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. In Delaware, that number is estimated at $30 million. The Virginia Cooperative Extension says one-third of food produced in the Commonwealth directly or indirectly relies on honey bee pollination.

"A lot of people don't realize, but honey bees are the number one food source pollinators,” Pascarella said. “So if you are 60% short on your food pollinator for your crops, you're going to be short on your agricultural production."

Tom Babcock also keeps bees in Whaleyville and serves as the Maryland State Beekeepers Association representative for Worcester County. He tells WBOC he has personally lost one entire hive, but considers himself lucky amid the national reports of massive die-offs.

“I’ve never seen anything like this - not the amount of losses,” Babcock tells WBOC.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says the public can help improve honey bee survival by avoiding the use of pesticides during mid-day hours when bees are most likely foraging for pollen and nectar. You can also plant pollinator-friendly plants such as red clover, foxglove, bee balm, joe-pye weed, and other plants. 

The USDA’s website directs to the Pollinator Partnership for further tips on how to support honey bees.