Rate of honey bee losses in the US ‘economically unsustainable’

Losses of managed honey bee colonies in the US totalled 23.2% last winter, according to a report by the US Department of agriculture.

The report, produced with industry group the Bee Informed Partnership, showed that the death rate for October 2013 to April of this year was better than the 30.5% losses for 2012 to 2013, but worse than the 21.9% in 2011 to 2012.

Prior surveys found colony losses averaged 29.6% over the last eight-year span.