1,300 colonies lost in first three months of 2016
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 20, 2016) —- Honeybee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in Kentucky dropped 7 percent in 2015. The total number recorded on Jan. 1 of this year was 7,000, down from 7,500 on Jan. 1, 2015.
From January to March 2016 a total of 1,300 colonies were lost—or 19 percent— among honeybee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in Kentucky. During that same time period in 2015 losses totaled 4,100, or 39 percent, the highest loss in the five quarters. Operations with five or more colonies added 110 colonies from January to March of this year.
Varroa mites are the number one cause of honeybee losses, affecting 20.9 percent of colonies from January to March.
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