The Bees Are Vanishing Again and It’s Worse Than Ever

Across the U.S., migratory beekeepers like Nancy and Keith Budke are facing a devastating season. Their North Dakota-based operation, Budke Bees, lost nearly two-thirds of its 2,900 hives before the crucial pollination run in California. According to The New York Times’ Ivan Penn, who reported from North Dakota, Texas, and California, this could be one of the worst honeybee die-offs in U.S. history.

The crisis goes far beyond climate change. It’s also driven by habitat loss, aggressive pesticide use, invasive parasites like the varroa mite, and policy decisions. The Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency recently cut funding to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s honeybee research programs. That meant researchers studying pollinator health were laid off just as the industry was entering peak collapse season.

Commercial beekeeping is critical to the nation’s food system. Honeybees pollinate over 100 crops, from apples and almonds to melons and blueberries. But fewer bees mean fewer crops — and likely higher prices at checkout. This year’s massive colony collapses left almond growers scrambling, with some reporting weak or absent bees after spending hundreds of dollars per hive.

Colony collapse disorder, first noted in 2006, still confounds scientists. Bees leave the hive, fail to return, and leave only a queen behind. As Nancy Budke puts it, “They’re perfectly fine… you come back in two weeks, and all the bees are missing.”

It’s a grim picture. Yet the Budkes are trying to rebuild — sourcing scarce queen bees and nurturing surviving hives. Still, with pesticide use rampant and policy Support shrinking, their story is a stark warning.

If we want food security, we must stop poisoning our pollinators. Say no to toxic lawn care. Buy organic when you can, go plant-based and avoid the honey entirely! Support pollinator-friendly farming. The bees are sounding the alarm — are we listening?

Video Source: BeeFit Beekeeping/Youtube

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