28% of US bees wiped out this winter, suggesting bigger environmental issues

More than half of beekeepers suffered unsustainable losses, with deadly mite infestations and harmful land management practices piling on pressure

More than a quarter of American honeybee colonies were wiped out over the winter, with deadly infestations of mites and harmful land management practices heaping mounting pressure upon the crucial pollinators and the businesses that keep them.

Preliminary figures commissioned by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that 28% of bee colonies in the United States were lost over the 2015-16 winter. More than half of surveyed beekeepers said they suffered unsustainable losses during the winter.