GITNUXREPORT 2026

Pollinator Decline Statistics

Pollinator populations are declining globally, threatening our essential food production systems.

Gitnux Team

Expert team of market researchers and data analysts.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

Pollination services worth $235-577 billion annually globally, threatened by declines.

Statistic 2

U.S. crops dependent on pollinators valued at $15 billion yearly, with 35% yield losses possible.

Statistic 3

Almond production in California faces $5.5 billion risk from pollinator shortages.

Statistic 4

Global fruit, vegetable, seed production down 3-8% without adequate pollination.

Statistic 5

Coffee yield losses up to 50% in Africa from wild pollinator declines.

Statistic 6

European apple orchards see 20-30% yield drop without bees.

Statistic 7

U.S. blueberry pollination requires 2.4 million colonies, shortages cost $1 billion potential.

Statistic 8

Oilseed rape in UK yields 10-20% less with poor pollination.

Statistic 9

Chocolate supply chain at risk, cocoa pollination failure up 30% in West Africa.

Statistic 10

Pumpkin seed oil production in Austria down 40% without managed bees.

Statistic 11

Indian mango yields reduced 25% in pollinator-poor regions.

Statistic 12

Brazilian soybean self-pollinating but benefits 10% yield from bees.

Statistic 13

Australian macadamia nuts lose 15% yield from bee shortages.

Statistic 14

California watermelon pollination costs rose 50% since 2000 due to shortages.

Statistic 15

Global avocado production threatened, 1 million tons at risk yearly.

Statistic 16

U.S. squash production sees 30% fruit set failure without pollinators.

Statistic 17

French sunflower yields down 12% in low pollinator density fields.

Statistic 18

Kenyan passionfruit loses 40% yield without bees.

Statistic 19

Chinese pear orchards require bees for 60% yield stability.

Statistic 20

Mexican vanilla hand-pollination costs triple natural bee service.

Statistic 21

U.S. alfalfa seed production declined 20% from leafcutter bee shortages.

Statistic 22

In the United States, managed honey bee colonies declined by 40% from 1947 to 1996 before stabilizing, according to long-term monitoring data.

Statistic 23

From 2006 to 2011, U.S. commercial beekeepers lost 30-36% of managed honey bee colonies annually due to Colony Collapse Disorder and other factors.

Statistic 24

European honey bee populations in the EU decreased by 25% between 1985 and 2012, linked to multiple stressors.

Statistic 25

In California, almond pollination requires 80% of U.S. managed honey bee colonies, which have declined 20% in health metrics since 2006.

Statistic 26

U.S. honey bee colonies dropped from 6 million in 1947 to 2.6 million in 2017, a 57% decline.

Statistic 27

overwintering mortality of U.S. honey bee colonies reached 37.9% in 2022-2023, exceeding the acceptable 13% threshold.

Statistic 28

In the UK, managed honey bee colonies fell by 70% since the 1940s.

Statistic 29

Canadian honey bee colonies experienced 45% mortality in winter 2022-2023.

Statistic 30

Australia's managed honey bee hives declined by 15% from 2010 to 2020 due to Varroa mite threats.

Statistic 31

In Brazil, Africanized honey bee colonies saw a 25% decline in feral populations from 2000-2015.

Statistic 32

German honey bee colony numbers dropped 25% between 2007 and 2017.

Statistic 33

French Apis mellifera populations declined 30% in managed hives from 1990-2020.

Statistic 34

In India, honey bee colonies reduced by 40% in Himalayan regions due to climate change since 1990.

Statistic 35

New Zealand's honey bee health index showed 28% colony loss in 2021.

Statistic 36

South African Cape honey bee populations declined 35% from habitat loss 2000-2020.

Statistic 37

U.S. feral honey bee colonies estimated at less than 10% of managed ones, down from historical abundance.

Statistic 38

Midwest U.S. honey bee overwintering losses averaged 32% from 2007-2022.

Statistic 39

Pacific Northwest honey bee colonies declined 22% in commercial operations 2015-2020.

Statistic 40

Southeast U.S. saw 41% honey bee colony losses in 2023.

Statistic 41

Northeast U.S. beekeepers reported 48% colony mortality in 2022-2023.

Statistic 42

Texas honey bee populations dropped 25% due to drought 2011-2021.

Statistic 43

Florida managed hives declined 18% from hurricanes and pests 2017-2022.

Statistic 44

Great Plains U.S. feral bees nearly extirpated, down 90% since 1990.

Statistic 45

Rocky Mountains honey bee colonies lost 35% overwintering 2020-2023.

Statistic 46

In China, Apis cerana populations declined 50% in wild areas since 1980.

Statistic 47

Japan's honey bee imports rose 300% as local populations fell 20% 2010-2020.

Statistic 48

Mexico's stingless bee populations down 40% in Yucatan 2000-2020.

Statistic 49

Argentina feral honey bees declined 30% from 1990s Varroa invasion.

Statistic 50

Turkey's Anatolian bees saw 25% managed decline 2010-2020.

Statistic 51

Egypt's honey bee colonies reduced 28% due to desertification 2000-2022.

Statistic 52

Neonicotinoid pesticides linked to 48% higher bee mortality in field studies.

Statistic 53

Varroa destructor mites cause 20-50% colony losses annually worldwide.

Statistic 54

Habitat loss from agriculture covers 75% of pollinator decline drivers.

Statistic 55

Climate change shifts flowering by 2-5 days earlier, mismatching 60% of pollinators.

Statistic 56

Nosema ceranae parasite prevalence rose to 80% in U.S. bees, causing 30% mortality.

Statistic 57

Monoculture farming reduces wild bee diversity by 50% in fields.

Statistic 58

Air pollution from NO2 reduces pollinator foraging success by 90%.

Statistic 59

Drought events increase U.S. bee mortality by 25% per event.

Statistic 60

Fungicide synergies with neonicotinoids boost toxicity 100-fold.

Statistic 61

Invasive plant species displace 40% native pollinator forage.

Statistic 62

Light pollution disrupts nocturnal pollinator moths by 60%.

Statistic 63

Urbanization fragments habitats, reducing bee movement 70%.

Statistic 64

Poor forage quality in fall causes 15% overwintering failure.

Statistic 65

Tracheal mites contribute 10-20% to winter losses pre-CCD.

Statistic 66

High temperatures above 40C kill 50% of exposed brood.

Statistic 67

Pesticide drift affects 30% more pollinators than targeted fields.

Statistic 68

Disease spillover from managed to wild bees at 25% rate.

Statistic 69

Soil tillage destroys 80% ground-nesting bee nests annually.

Statistic 70

Honey bee nutritional stress from almond monoculture weakens 40% immunity.

Statistic 71

Electromagnetic fields from powerlines reduce bee navigation 30%.

Statistic 72

IPMES reports 40% of invertebrate pollinators at risk of extinction.

Statistic 73

Wildflower strips increase pollinator abundance by 200% in farmlands.

Statistic 74

U.S. monarch butterfly conservation planted 10 million milkweeds 2015-2023.

Statistic 75

EU bans on neonicotinoids recovered 15% bee populations in treated areas.

Statistic 76

Cover crops boost soil-nesting bees by 50% in rotations.

Statistic 77

Community gardens in cities support 30% more pollinator species.

Statistic 78

Pesticide-free zones in UK farms saw 25% bumblebee recovery.

Statistic 79

Bee hotels increase solitary bee populations 40% locally.

Statistic 80

Organic farming retains 50% more wild pollinators than conventional.

Statistic 81

Hedgerows in Europe enhance connectivity, reducing decline by 20%.

Statistic 82

U.S. Farm Bill funded $1 billion for pollinator habitat 2018-2023.

Statistic 83

Rooftop beekeeping in NYC stabilized local honey bee health 15%.

Statistic 84

Native plant restorations recover 35% butterfly species.

Statistic 85

Australian bush regeneration projects saved 20% native bee species.

Statistic 86

Brazilian agroforestry systems retain 60% more pollinators.

Statistic 87

Canadian pollinator health strategy reduced losses by 10% 2015-2022.

Statistic 88

French national plan planted 100,000 km hedgerows for bees.

Statistic 89

Integrated Pest Management cut pesticide use 30%, aiding recovery.

Statistic 90

Citizen science apps mapped 1 million pollinator sightings yearly.

Statistic 91

Solar farm pollinator plantings increased bees 300% on sites.

Statistic 92

Bumblebee populations in North America declined by 46% between 2008 and 2013 across monitored species.

Statistic 93

In the UK, 17 of 27 wild bee species studied showed significant declines since 1980.

Statistic 94

European bumblebee species declined by 17-37% in monitored grasslands from 1990-2010.

Statistic 95

U.S. Rocky Mountain bumblebees lost 90% of populations since 1992.

Statistic 96

62% of solitary bee species in Germany showed range contractions since 1900.

Statistic 97

Australian native bee diversity declined 25% in urban areas 1990-2020.

Statistic 98

Brazilian stingless bees lost 30% of species abundance in Atlantic Forest fragments.

Statistic 99

Canadian Bombus occidentalis declined over 50% since 1990s.

Statistic 100

French wild pollinator abundance down 25% in farmland 1980-2019.

Statistic 101

Netherlands saw 50% decline in wild bee species richness 1990-2010.

Statistic 102

Swedish bumblebees declined 30% in agricultural landscapes since 1940s.

Statistic 103

U.S. Midwest butterfly pollinators down 33% since 1990.

Statistic 104

California native bees lost 40% in Central Valley farmlands 2000-2020.

Statistic 105

Himalayan wild bees declined 35% due to elevation shifts 1990-2020.

Statistic 106

South African Cape floral kingdom pollinators down 20% species 1980-2018.

Statistic 107

Mexican monarch butterfly populations crashed 80% since 1990s.

Statistic 108

New Zealand hoverflies declined 28% in native forests 2000-2020.

Statistic 109

Iberian Peninsula wild bees lost 27% abundance 1990-2010.

Statistic 110

Japanese mason bees down 22% in rural areas 2010-2020.

Statistic 111

Kenyan wild pollinators declined 40% in savannas from elephant poaching impacts.

Statistic 112

Australian Blue Banded bees lost 50% range in southeast.

Statistic 113

Great Basin U.S. alkali bees down 60% from irrigation changes.

Statistic 114

Prairie provinces Canada, long-horned bees declined 45%.

Statistic 115

Mediterranean sweat bees lost 35% in olive groves.

Statistic 116

Southeast Asia orchid bees down 30% from deforestation.

1/116

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Imagine a world where every third bite of food on your plate vanishes, a silent crisis unfolding as honey bee colonies plummet by 57% in the U.S. since the 1940s, commercial beekeepers face annual losses exceeding 30%, and wild pollinators everywhere are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Key Takeaways

In the United States, managed honey bee colonies declined by 40% from 1947 to 1996 before stabilizing, according to long-term monitoring data.
From 2006 to 2011, U.S. commercial beekeepers lost 30-36% of managed honey bee colonies annually due to Colony Collapse Disorder and other factors.
European honey bee populations in the EU decreased by 25% between 1985 and 2012, linked to multiple stressors.
Bumblebee populations in North America declined by 46% between 2008 and 2013 across monitored species.
In the UK, 17 of 27 wild bee species studied showed significant declines since 1980.
European bumblebee species declined by 17-37% in monitored grasslands from 1990-2010.
Pollination services worth $235-577 billion annually globally, threatened by declines.
U.S. crops dependent on pollinators valued at $15 billion yearly, with 35% yield losses possible.
Almond production in California faces $5.5 billion risk from pollinator shortages.
Neonicotinoid pesticides linked to 48% higher bee mortality in field studies.
Varroa destructor mites cause 20-50% colony losses annually worldwide.
Habitat loss from agriculture covers 75% of pollinator decline drivers.
IPMES reports 40% of invertebrate pollinators at risk of extinction.
Wildflower strips increase pollinator abundance by 200% in farmlands.
U.S. monarch butterfly conservation planted 10 million milkweeds 2015-2023.

Pollinator populations are declining globally, threatening our essential food production systems.

Agricultural Impacts

Pollination services worth $235-577 billion annually globally, threatened by declines.
U.S. crops dependent on pollinators valued at $15 billion yearly, with 35% yield losses possible.
Almond production in California faces $5.5 billion risk from pollinator shortages.
Global fruit, vegetable, seed production down 3-8% without adequate pollination.
Coffee yield losses up to 50% in Africa from wild pollinator declines.
European apple orchards see 20-30% yield drop without bees.
U.S. blueberry pollination requires 2.4 million colonies, shortages cost $1 billion potential.
Oilseed rape in UK yields 10-20% less with poor pollination.
Chocolate supply chain at risk, cocoa pollination failure up 30% in West Africa.
Pumpkin seed oil production in Austria down 40% without managed bees.
Indian mango yields reduced 25% in pollinator-poor regions.
Brazilian soybean self-pollinating but benefits 10% yield from bees.
Australian macadamia nuts lose 15% yield from bee shortages.
California watermelon pollination costs rose 50% since 2000 due to shortages.
Global avocado production threatened, 1 million tons at risk yearly.
U.S. squash production sees 30% fruit set failure without pollinators.
French sunflower yields down 12% in low pollinator density fields.
Kenyan passionfruit loses 40% yield without bees.
Chinese pear orchards require bees for 60% yield stability.
Mexican vanilla hand-pollination costs triple natural bee service.
U.S. alfalfa seed production declined 20% from leafcutter bee shortages.

Agricultural Impacts Interpretation

Our collective breakfast, lunch, and dessert are currently being held for a multi-billion dollar ransom by a staggering decline in bees and other pollinators, a situation both economically catastrophic and deliciously ironic.

Bee Population Statistics

In the United States, managed honey bee colonies declined by 40% from 1947 to 1996 before stabilizing, according to long-term monitoring data.
From 2006 to 2011, U.S. commercial beekeepers lost 30-36% of managed honey bee colonies annually due to Colony Collapse Disorder and other factors.
European honey bee populations in the EU decreased by 25% between 1985 and 2012, linked to multiple stressors.
In California, almond pollination requires 80% of U.S. managed honey bee colonies, which have declined 20% in health metrics since 2006.
U.S. honey bee colonies dropped from 6 million in 1947 to 2.6 million in 2017, a 57% decline.
overwintering mortality of U.S. honey bee colonies reached 37.9% in 2022-2023, exceeding the acceptable 13% threshold.
In the UK, managed honey bee colonies fell by 70% since the 1940s.
Canadian honey bee colonies experienced 45% mortality in winter 2022-2023.
Australia's managed honey bee hives declined by 15% from 2010 to 2020 due to Varroa mite threats.
In Brazil, Africanized honey bee colonies saw a 25% decline in feral populations from 2000-2015.
German honey bee colony numbers dropped 25% between 2007 and 2017.
French Apis mellifera populations declined 30% in managed hives from 1990-2020.
In India, honey bee colonies reduced by 40% in Himalayan regions due to climate change since 1990.
New Zealand's honey bee health index showed 28% colony loss in 2021.
South African Cape honey bee populations declined 35% from habitat loss 2000-2020.
U.S. feral honey bee colonies estimated at less than 10% of managed ones, down from historical abundance.
Midwest U.S. honey bee overwintering losses averaged 32% from 2007-2022.
Pacific Northwest honey bee colonies declined 22% in commercial operations 2015-2020.
Southeast U.S. saw 41% honey bee colony losses in 2023.
Northeast U.S. beekeepers reported 48% colony mortality in 2022-2023.
Texas honey bee populations dropped 25% due to drought 2011-2021.
Florida managed hives declined 18% from hurricanes and pests 2017-2022.
Great Plains U.S. feral bees nearly extirpated, down 90% since 1990.
Rocky Mountains honey bee colonies lost 35% overwintering 2020-2023.
In China, Apis cerana populations declined 50% in wild areas since 1980.
Japan's honey bee imports rose 300% as local populations fell 20% 2010-2020.
Mexico's stingless bee populations down 40% in Yucatan 2000-2020.
Argentina feral honey bees declined 30% from 1990s Varroa invasion.
Turkey's Anatolian bees saw 25% managed decline 2010-2020.
Egypt's honey bee colonies reduced 28% due to desertification 2000-2022.

Bee Population Statistics Interpretation

The global honey bee's ongoing retirement plan, featuring plummeting populations and terrifying mortality rates, is a dire actuarial report on the future of our food supply.

Causal Factors

Neonicotinoid pesticides linked to 48% higher bee mortality in field studies.
Varroa destructor mites cause 20-50% colony losses annually worldwide.
Habitat loss from agriculture covers 75% of pollinator decline drivers.
Climate change shifts flowering by 2-5 days earlier, mismatching 60% of pollinators.
Nosema ceranae parasite prevalence rose to 80% in U.S. bees, causing 30% mortality.
Monoculture farming reduces wild bee diversity by 50% in fields.
Air pollution from NO2 reduces pollinator foraging success by 90%.
Drought events increase U.S. bee mortality by 25% per event.
Fungicide synergies with neonicotinoids boost toxicity 100-fold.
Invasive plant species displace 40% native pollinator forage.
Light pollution disrupts nocturnal pollinator moths by 60%.
Urbanization fragments habitats, reducing bee movement 70%.
Poor forage quality in fall causes 15% overwintering failure.
Tracheal mites contribute 10-20% to winter losses pre-CCD.
High temperatures above 40C kill 50% of exposed brood.
Pesticide drift affects 30% more pollinators than targeted fields.
Disease spillover from managed to wild bees at 25% rate.
Soil tillage destroys 80% ground-nesting bee nests annually.
Honey bee nutritional stress from almond monoculture weakens 40% immunity.
Electromagnetic fields from powerlines reduce bee navigation 30%.

Causal Factors Interpretation

It seems the pollinator crisis is a miserable cocktail where we’ve spilled a little bit of everything we do wrong into one glass and forced the bees to drink it.

Conservation and Recovery

IPMES reports 40% of invertebrate pollinators at risk of extinction.
Wildflower strips increase pollinator abundance by 200% in farmlands.
U.S. monarch butterfly conservation planted 10 million milkweeds 2015-2023.
EU bans on neonicotinoids recovered 15% bee populations in treated areas.
Cover crops boost soil-nesting bees by 50% in rotations.
Community gardens in cities support 30% more pollinator species.
Pesticide-free zones in UK farms saw 25% bumblebee recovery.
Bee hotels increase solitary bee populations 40% locally.
Organic farming retains 50% more wild pollinators than conventional.
Hedgerows in Europe enhance connectivity, reducing decline by 20%.
U.S. Farm Bill funded $1 billion for pollinator habitat 2018-2023.
Rooftop beekeeping in NYC stabilized local honey bee health 15%.
Native plant restorations recover 35% butterfly species.
Australian bush regeneration projects saved 20% native bee species.
Brazilian agroforestry systems retain 60% more pollinators.
Canadian pollinator health strategy reduced losses by 10% 2015-2022.
French national plan planted 100,000 km hedgerows for bees.
Integrated Pest Management cut pesticide use 30%, aiding recovery.
Citizen science apps mapped 1 million pollinator sightings yearly.
Solar farm pollinator plantings increased bees 300% on sites.

Conservation and Recovery Interpretation

Even amid dire warnings of pollinator collapse, our proven, hands-on remedies—from hedgerows and wildflower strips to citizen science and policy shifts—are stitching together a hopeful recovery, one garden, farm, and rooftop at a time.

Wild Pollinator Declines

Bumblebee populations in North America declined by 46% between 2008 and 2013 across monitored species.
In the UK, 17 of 27 wild bee species studied showed significant declines since 1980.
European bumblebee species declined by 17-37% in monitored grasslands from 1990-2010.
U.S. Rocky Mountain bumblebees lost 90% of populations since 1992.
62% of solitary bee species in Germany showed range contractions since 1900.
Australian native bee diversity declined 25% in urban areas 1990-2020.
Brazilian stingless bees lost 30% of species abundance in Atlantic Forest fragments.
Canadian Bombus occidentalis declined over 50% since 1990s.
French wild pollinator abundance down 25% in farmland 1980-2019.
Netherlands saw 50% decline in wild bee species richness 1990-2010.
Swedish bumblebees declined 30% in agricultural landscapes since 1940s.
U.S. Midwest butterfly pollinators down 33% since 1990.
California native bees lost 40% in Central Valley farmlands 2000-2020.
Himalayan wild bees declined 35% due to elevation shifts 1990-2020.
South African Cape floral kingdom pollinators down 20% species 1980-2018.
Mexican monarch butterfly populations crashed 80% since 1990s.
New Zealand hoverflies declined 28% in native forests 2000-2020.
Iberian Peninsula wild bees lost 27% abundance 1990-2010.
Japanese mason bees down 22% in rural areas 2010-2020.
Kenyan wild pollinators declined 40% in savannas from elephant poaching impacts.
Australian Blue Banded bees lost 50% range in southeast.
Great Basin U.S. alkali bees down 60% from irrigation changes.
Prairie provinces Canada, long-horned bees declined 45%.
Mediterranean sweat bees lost 35% in olive groves.
Southeast Asia orchid bees down 30% from deforestation.

Wild Pollinator Declines Interpretation

The world is fast forwarding its own blooper reel, and the punchline—a silent, flowerless future delivered by vanishing bees and butterflies—isn’t funny at all.

Sources & References

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