Despite recent headlines suggesting that honeybee populations may be stabilizing, the reality is far more complex. Beekeepers face ongoing, steep losses—often replacing up to half their colonies annually just to keep numbers steady. This increase in hive numbers masks the deeper crisis: honeybees and wild pollinators alike remain at risk due to widespread pesticide use, habitat loss, disease, and other stressors. Neonicotinoid pesticides, introduced in the early 2000s and linked to "Colony Collapse Disorder," disrupt bees' ability to forage, reproduce, and survive winters, resulting in weakened colonies that struggle to perform their vital pollination role. Wild pollinators, who lack the managed care honeybees receive, fare even worse with many species facing steep declines or extinction.
In our latest response to these challenges, the Pollinator Stewardship Council (PSC) has developed a new educational handout highlighting the urgent need for pesticide reform and pollinator protection. This handout, titled “Is the Beekeeping Problem Solved?” illustrates the current challenges facing beekeepers and sets the record straight on pollinator health. It is now available for download on the PSC website, and bulk printed copies will soon be available at no cost by request. By raising awareness and encouraging action, PSC aims to inspire widespread commitment to reversing pollinator declines and protecting the ecosystems they support.
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