According to the latest ANSES study, nearly 25% of beekeepers reported dead hives or about to decline in winter 2021. An increase compared to two previous years but down compared to 2018.
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The bee mortality is still a central concern. The National Health Security Agency (ANSES) published a survey on the extent of mortality for the winter of 2021. According to professionals, this mortality is mainly linked to pesticides. A subject that remains sensitive in the agricultural world. Several hundred farmers, in particular from the FNSEA, protested on Tuesday, December 14, before the Council of State against the enlargement of the zones where the spraying of pesticides was prohibited.
The ANSES survey is not a full-scale survey, but it affected almost 16,000 beekeepers. They reported that 25% of them had a beehive that was dead or on the verge of decline. “This is not a strong signal insofar as in 2018 we were at almost 30%. On the other hand, in 2019 and 2020 we had fallen between 20% and 21%”, explains Gilles Salvat, Deputy Director General at ANSES, which runs the Mortality Observatory.
The damage is in the large beekeeping regions, in particular Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. They affect amateurs who have less than ten colonies, and professionals. With a cocktail of threats esteemed by the National Union of French beekeeping (Unaf). “In a predominant way, there are always pesticides, indicates Henri Clément, spokesperson for Unaf. Then you have the evolution of our environments, particularly with monoculture. There are also new predators like the Asian hornet. “
“In addition to all these causes which are already important, there is the climate upheaval which is making the situation worse.”
Henri Clément, spokesperson for Unafto franceinfo
This new bee health alert comes a few weeks after the publication of the government’s pollinator plan, which greatly disappointed professionals.