In the last couple of decades, the worldwide population of bees has been in quite big trouble. Apparently, bees have been dying for various reasons including pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global warming, and many more, with a big part of them being interrelated.
Though—surprise, surprise—finally, we've got some great news to share. According to the newest Honey Bee Colony report by the US Department of Agriculture, the US is experiencing a 14% national increase in bee populations. Turns out that over the past two years, the bee populations have grown in many states with Maine seeing the highest rise at 73%.
More info: nass.usda.gov
Bees are crucially important to us since they perform about 80% of all pollination worldwide
Image credits: PollyDot
Since honey bees perform about 80% of all pollination worldwide, they are crucially important for us and our environment. According to Greenpeace, "seventy out of the top 100 human food crops—which supply about 90% of the world’s nutrition—are pollinated by bees." Unfortunately, honey bees have suffered substantially from environmental changes over the past few decades.
Turns out, between 2018 and 2019, bee populations decreased by around 40% worldwide
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According to the newest Honey Bee Colony report, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Maine reported the largest increase in bee colonies over the last two years. Maine seems to be the winner, experiencing a growth of 73%.
Bees have been dying for various reasons including pesticides, global warming, habitat destruction, and many more
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Among the states experiencing the highest rise, we also have Oklahoma reporting 69% growth, Nebraska—61%, Michigan—50%, and Montana—49%.
However, the newest report describes a 14% national increase in bee colonies over the last two years
Image credits: PollyDot
However, the highest percent growth doesn't say anything about the largest honey bee populations. According to the report, California currently has the largest number of honey bee colonies—it's the only state in the US to have more than 1 million colonies. Florida ranks as the state with the second-largest number of bee colonies in the country with close to 250,000.
Bee populations have grown by 73% in Maine and are increasing in many other states
Image credits: Myriams-Fotos
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