Bee colonies down from last year in US

MOSES LAKE — Honey bee populations are down nationwide, but that’s not necessarily a reason to worry, agriculture statisticians say. “Honey bees and other pollinators are critically important to securing the nation’s food supply and providing ecosystem services that insure plant diversity, soil stability, and species richness,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture wrote on its website. According to statistics released in August by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, In January 2023 there were 2.68 million domesticated honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in the U.S., down 7% from the 2.88 million colonies in January 2022. In April, the year-over-year change was even greater, from 2.71 million to 2.91 million colonies, a 9% change.