More NI bee colonies survived winter last year

Fewer bee colonies were lost last winter in Northern Ireland, new figures show.

The annual honey bee husbandry survey by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) found about one-in-four colonies were lost in 2025/26, compared to a third in 2024/25.

About half (51%) the losses were linked to problems with the queen bee. Others were lost because bees were dead or the hive was empty. Natural hazards including storms, flood and theft accounted for 10%.

AFBI entomologist Joanna Kirbas said the survey was "essential" for monitoring bee health and detecting long-term trends.

Bees are an important species for human survival.

They pollinate a third of our food groups and roughly 80% of wildflowers.

But globally, populations are under pressure from climate change, habitat destruction and human activity including farming.

The annual survey has been running for 18 years, creating a snapshot of beekeeping practices and challenges in Northern Ireland.

Kirbas said the latest survey had the highest number of responses in five years, showing how invested beekeepers are in providing up-to-date information on the honey bee population.

"This survey is essential and allows AFBI to monitor honey bee health in Northern Ireland, track colony losses over winter, and examine the best methods of disease prevention."

• More than a hundred beekeepers took part in this year's survey
• They had a total of 570 living colonies before the winter of 2025/26
• Of those, 130 were lost over winter - 24%
• That is significantly lower than the 33% loss average reported in the winter of 2024/25, but similar to the 24% loss rate in 2023/24
• Around 14% of colonies were lost in 2022/23 and 11% in 2021/22
• The highest number was in 2012/13, when 43% of colonies was lost

A colony is lost when either the entire hive of honey bees has died or left, sometimes leaving behind a queen bee and some nurse bees.

Dr Archie Murchie, the head of AFBI's Plant Health and Integrated Pest Management branch, said building a picture of long-term trends played an important role in monitoring an important pollinator.

"Honey bee losses are largely driven by weather, which influences the bees themselves, their food sources and their susceptibility to infections," he said.

"While we don't yet have enough data to analyse long-term trends, changing weather patterns could be contributing to colony losses," Dr Murchie continued.

"It is vital that we continue to track colony losses as well as threats to honey bees."

The survey also covers disease management and prevention measures taken by beekeepers to control the Varroa mite.

It is a parasite that attacks and feeds on honey bees and can lead to the collapse and death of a colony.

But Dr Murchie said other diseases also pose a threat.

"There is a possibility that the Tropilaelaps mite, which attacks honey bee broods, could soon spread to Europe.

"The mite was found in Georgia in 2024 and has just been found in Turkey.

"The mites breed rapidly and can quickly overwhelm a hive."