APHIS Honey Bee Survey Reports
Background
The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Honey Bee Survey (NHBS), is a comprehensive examination of colonies throughout the US. The Survey began in 2009 to address the emerging concern about diminishing health in honey bees and invasive threats to honey bees, including Tropilaelaps clareae, Apis cerana, and Slow Bee Paralysis Virus. For more information about this program, see and the USDA APHIS website. ushoneybeehealthsurvey.info and the USDA APHIS website.
How to access data
This page dynamically queries the Bee Informed Partnership database, where the APHIS NHBS data is also stored, to bring you results filtered to the calendar year and state where samples were taken. By selecting a year and a state, you can view all the data collected that year and in that state. Here are some essential tips:
- You can change the year by using the pull down menu located directly under the map
- You can hover over a specific state to view that year’s average Varroa data and the number of samples taken.
- You can hover over any data in the graphs to view specific data and sample size
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All graphs on this page can be downloaded by clicking the “hamburger menu” (
) at the upper right of each graph. Once downloaded, you can paste into presentations or reports.
- You can view a more detailed, specific state’s data by clicking on that state in the map. When you do this, an entirely new state report will open and you will be able to view all the data (Varroa, Nosema, viral and pesticides) for that state in that year. To change years, return to “map view” and change the year located under the map and select the state again.
- Please note that if you choose 2016 or earlier, the pesticide results shown will be for Bee Bread only. If you choose 2018 or later, the pesticide results will show only Wax. In 2017, we switched from Bee Bread to Wax for residue analysis. In 2017 only, you will get both Bee Bread and Wax results.
- You may download the data used for this data explorer by clicking here and filling out the request form. You will be asked to create an account and login first.
Varroa samples are collected as a composite sample from a single apiary.
Nosema samples are collected as a composite sample from a single apiary.
Honey Bee Pathogens
| Abreviation | Name | Years sampled |
|---|---|---|
| ABPV | Acute Bee Paralysis Virus | 2009 - present |
| CBPV | Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus | 2009 - present |
| DWV-A | Deformed Wing Virus A (formerly DWV) | 2009 - present |
| DWV-B | Deformed Wing Virus B (formerly VDV) | 2016 - present |
| IAPV | Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus | 2009 - present |
| KBV | Kashmir Bee Virus | 2009 - 2010, 2012 - present |
| LSV2 | Lake Sinai Virus 2 | 2013 - present |
| SBPV | Slow Bee Paralysis Virus | 2013 - present |
| SBV | Sacbrood Virus | 2019 - present |
| MKV | Moku Virus | 2018 - present |
| Nosema ceranae | unicellular gut parasite that causes Nosema disease | 2017 - present |
Molecular
Molecular pathogen samples are collected as a composite sample from a single apiary. The molecular pathogen prevalence chart compares a selected year to the percentage of samples with a positive detection for all years since 2013. Due to improvements in the molecular techniques in 2013 that made US data comparable internationally, those are the only data used as the national average. For data collected previous to 2013, we still show the prevalence of these samples per state and those are still compared to improved (>2013) molecular data. To see pathogen prevalence mapped per state, see our Virus Map.
Pesticide Samples
The pesticide samples are collected from wax combs or bee bread and are a composite sample from a single apiary. Prior to 2018, bee bread (stored pollen) was used for pesticide samples. During 2017 to 2019, samples are taken from wax combs. The charts below indicate if their source was from either wax or bee bread. The “n” values per pie piece are the total number of pesticides found within the category. Since each sample often contain multiple pesticide detects, the total number of detects will be greater than the total number of samples.
A table and list of all pesticides found and tested for in either wax or bee bread can be found at the following links.
National Honey Bee Survey Bee Bread Pesticide Sampling Report
National Honey Bee Survey Wax Pesticide Sampling Report