Report
Honey bee colonies that fail to overwinter have a tale to tell
Washington State University Extension fact sheet, 408E, Washington State University Extension
05/2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000008248
Abstract
There are numerous reasons a honey bee colony could fail to overwinter, meaning they died during or shortly after winter. The primary cause of death may not always be obvious since there are many stressors that honey bee colonies face. In the Pacific Northwest, many backyard beekeepers lose their colonies over winter due to a combination of factors that reduce survival chances. Doing a necropsy on a dead colony, often referred to as a “deadout,” will likely show multiple causes of death, and beekeepers can only reasonably make inferences based on what they see to deduce possible causes. Proper education about honey bee stressors and how they may impact overwintering will guide decision-making in honey bee colony management. This publication aims to help Pacific Northwest beekeepers recognize symptoms that may contribute to winter colony losses and improve overwintering success. It also offers a diagnostic tool to help ascertain why colonies may have failed to overwinter.
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Details
- Title
- Honey bee colonies that fail to overwinter have a tale to tell
- Creators
- Dewey M. Caron (Author) - Oregon State UniversityBriana Elizabeth Price (Author)Priyadarshini Chakrabarti (Author) - Washington State University, Department of Entomology
- Academic Unit
- Publications, WSU Extension
- Series
- Washington State University Extension fact sheet; 408E
- Publisher
- Washington State University Extension; Pullman, Washington
- Identifiers
- 99901377906201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Report