USDA’s first ever Honey Bee Colony Loss Survey showed an eight percent drop in U.S. colonies to start the year verses 2015 and an even larger drop of 40-percent of the colonies in South Dakota. Bruce, South Dakota honey producer and beekeeper Richard Adee says those are devastating statistics for the industry.
He says the honey bee colony losses have been traced to certain pesticides, as well as neonicotinoids.
Adee says South Dakota ranks second in the nation for honey production. However, the bees also support almond production in California.
Adee says the original idea behind neonicotinoids was good, but the unintended consequences have resulted in severe loss in the honey bee population.
