Honey Bees on the Move

Driven by growing consumer demand for fruits, nuts, and vegetables, U.S. growers are expanding their cultivation of these pollinator-dependent crops. To service the rising number of pollination contracts and seek out quality forage to produce honey, beekeepers move their bees around the country. Limited nationwide data exist on the number of honey bee colonies that pass through each State throughout the year, the routes these colonies take, and the distances traveled. Using data from a USDA survey of beekeepers, this report quantifies honey bee colony movements over the four seasons and provides a basis for understanding how the transport of honey bee colonies affects pollination services, honey production, and the loss of colonies. The intensity of the use of pollination services across a variety of pollinator-dependent crops in various regions and States is also summarized to explain the timing and volume of colony movements.