Nutrition
Diverse pollen and nectar provide energy, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
PROTECT POLLINATOR WELL-BEING
Bee health depends on nutritious forage, safe habitat, responsible pest management, careful monitoring, and decisions grounded in evidence.
A WHOLE-SYSTEM VIEW
Healthy bees are able to find diverse food, reproduce, resist or recover from stress, and complete their ecological roles. For managed honey bee colonies, health also includes balanced populations, appropriate brood development, adequate food stores, and manageable pest and disease pressure.
Bee health is not determined by a single symptom. Habitat loss, poor nutrition, parasites, pathogens, pesticide exposure, extreme weather, and management practices can combine and amplify one another.
CONNECTED PRESSURES
Diverse pollen and nectar provide energy, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
Continuous bloom, nesting resources, clean water, and shelter support resilience.
Varroa mites are a major threat to managed honey bee colonies and can spread viruses.
Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and microsporidia can affect individuals and colonies.
Exposure risk depends on toxicity, dose, timing, route, and interaction with other stressors.
Heat, drought, storms, and shifting bloom times can disrupt food and nesting conditions.
Hive placement, stocking, transport, treatment, feeding, and recordkeeping influence outcomes.
OBSERVE, RECORD, RESPOND
Check brood, queen activity, food stores, population, pests, disease signs, and equipment.
Use validated monitoring methods rather than guessing from appearance alone.
Document dates, weather, findings, actions, and follow-up needs.
Choose legal, evidence-based actions appropriate to the season and colony condition.
A MAJOR HONEY BEE THREAT
Varroa destructor mites feed on developing and adult honey bees and transmit damaging viruses. Colonies can look strong while mite levels are rising, so visual checks alone are not reliable.
Integrated pest management combines monitoring, cultural practices, biomechanical controls, and carefully selected treatments.
REDUCE AVOIDABLE EXPOSURE
Choose nonchemical controls when practical and treat only when a documented need exists.
The pesticide label is the law. Respect rates, timing, weather restrictions, and pollinator precautions.
Land managers, growers, applicators, and beekeepers can reduce risk by sharing timing and location information.
FOOD THROUGH THE SEASONS
A diverse landscape with overlapping bloom periods helps bees find the carbohydrates and protein they need. Native plants often support a wider range of native bee species while also providing useful forage for honey bees.
DIFFERENT BEES, DIFFERENT NEEDS
| Managed Honey Bees | Native Bees |
|---|---|
| Live in perennial social colonies managed in hives | Most species are solitary and nest in soil, stems, wood, or cavities |
| Health monitoring includes colony-level brood, food, queen, mite, and disease assessment | Protection focuses strongly on habitat, nesting sites, plant diversity, and exposure reduction |
| Can be moved and concentrated for pollination | Usually remain closely tied to local habitat and seasonal resources |
| Responsible management reduces disease and resource pressure | Conservation requires protecting diverse local species, including sweat bees and other small native bees |
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Create reliable food and nesting resources through the seasons.
Explore habitat actionLearn responsible monitoring and colony-care fundamentals.
Learn about beekeeping
Turn bee biology into a safe, memorable learning experience.
Explore observation hivesBEE HEALTH FAQ
Threats interact, but Varroa mites and the viruses they transmit are among the most serious challenges for managed honey bee colonies.
Entrance activity provides clues but cannot replace an appropriate internal inspection and validated pest monitoring.
No. Risk varies with the active ingredient, formulation, dose, exposure route, timing, weather, and whether plants are blooming.
Yes, especially when plantings provide diverse, pesticide-conscious bloom across multiple seasons and include locally appropriate native species.
Supplemental feeding can be useful in specific circumstances but is not a substitute for healthy habitat. Decisions should reflect colony need, season, and regional guidance.
Plant diverse flowers, protect nesting habitat, reduce unnecessary pesticide use, support responsible beekeepers, and share evidence-based information.
HEALTH STARTS WITH HABITAT AND RESPONSIBLE CARE
Small, informed actions can improve forage, reduce exposure, and strengthen the people and programs caring for pollinators.