Why China’s Bees Are Thriving While America’s Are Struggling
- Pete Rizzo
- Aug 26
- 5 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
The Unsurprising Contrast Between U.S. and Chinese Beekeeping.
Key Takeaways:
China’s secret weapon is diversity. By keeping both Apis mellifera and Apis cerana, they’ve built resilience into their beekeeping system.
U.S. bees are under siege. Varroa mites, pesticides, and large-scale practices are creating record-breaking colony losses.
Scale matters. Small, hands-on beekeeping in China gives colonies care and stability, while America’s large migratory operations add stress.
Agriculture plays a role. Monocultures starve bees of nutrition, while diverse farms keep them healthier.
China invests in bee research. USA falls flat on bee research spending compared to China.
The path forward is clear. Genetic diversity, sustainable practices, bee research, and a shift toward resilience can help America’s bees recover.
Honeybees are important for agriculture and food production, yet their populations are telling two very different stories depending on where you look.
In the United States, beekeepers are facing record colony losses, while in China, managed bee populations are reaching all-time highs.
What’s behind this divide? The answer lies in the bees themselves, how they are managed, and the systems they live in.
The Honeybees of the United States
American beekeeping is built around the European honeybee (Apis mellifera). These bees were brought to North America centuries ago and have since become the backbone of modern agriculture. They pollinate crops like almonds, apples, melons, blueberries, and many others.
The most common strains in the U.S. include:
Italian honeybees are known for gentleness and strong honey production.
Carniolan honeybees are great winter survivors with good population control.
Russian honeybees are naturally more resistant to some pests, though less common.
While these bees are hardworking and productive, they face serious threats. The greatest challenge comes from the Varroa mite, a destructive parasite that weakens colonies and spreads deadly viruses.
American beekeepers are also battling pesticide exposure, monoculture farming that limits natural forage, and stress from moving millions of hives long distances for pollination contracts. These combined pressures are pushing colonies to the breaking point.
The Bees of China
China presents a completely different picture. Instead of relying only on Apis mellifera, Chinese beekeepers also keep their native Asian honeybee, Apis cerana. This species has lived alongside Varroa mites for thousands of years and developed natural defenses that make it far more resilient.
Apis cerana is quick to remove sick brood, limiting the spread of disease. They build smaller, more manageable colonies that don’t become overly stressed. Their hygienic behavior and natural hardiness allow them to thrive where European honeybees struggle.
By maintaining both Apis mellifera and Apis cerana, Chinese beekeepers have a built-in insurance policy: if one species faces trouble, the other can often adapt and carry the load.
Why China’s Bees Are Thriving and America’s Are Declining
Several factors explain why China’s bees are booming while American bees are collapsing:
Bee Diversity: China benefits from having two honeybee species. The U.S. depends almost entirely on one, leaving us vulnerable.
Natural Varroa Resistance: Asian honeybees co-evolved with Varroa mites, giving them strong natural defenses. European honeybees in the U.S. lack this advantage.
Scale of Beekeeping: Chinese beekeeping is mostly small-scale, with many families caring for fewer than 50 hives. U.S. beekeeping often involves thousands of hives managed in bulk, with less individual care.
Farming Practices: Smaller, diverse farms in China give bees access to a wide range of forage. In America, monocultures like almond orchards dominate, which means limited nutrition and more stress on colonies.
Chemical Use: Heavy pesticide use in the U.S. continues to harm bees directly and indirectly. China’s smaller-scale practices often mean less chemical exposure.
Breeding Priorities: American bees have been bred mainly for honey production and gentle temperaments, sometimes at the cost of natural resilience. In China, survival traits are highly valued.
China Bee Research: Knowing the value of research pushes China way ahead of the U.S. How does the U.S. not know research is very important when it comes to bees and bee health?
What Can America Learn?
If the United States wants to turn the tide, it will take a shift in priorities. Here are some key steps:
Encourage greater genetic diversity in honeybee populations.
Reduce reliance on chemicals and pesticides.
Support smaller, sustainable beekeeping operations.
Plant pollinator-friendly forage instead of endless monocultures.
Breed for resilience and survival, not just productivity.
Research bee health and what the bees need to be healthy.
Feature | United States (Strained) | China (Thriving) |
Bee Species | Apis mellifera only | Apis mellifera + native Apis cerana |
Varroa Control | Amitraz-resistant mites causing massive losses | Co-evolved resistance via natural defenses |
Apiary Scale | Huge, migratory operations | Small, local, hands-on management |
Forage Quality | Limited variety, monocultures | Diverse, small-scale farms |
Chemical Usage | Heavy pesticide, fungicide, antibiotic exposure | Less reliance, traditional approaches |
Breeding Goals | Honey production and docility | Natural survival traits emphasized |
Environmental Stressors | High (climate, pollution, habitat loss, pesticides) | Lower, with more ecological support |
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of bees do U.S. beekeepers use?
Most American beekeepers use European honeybees (Apis mellifera), particularly Italian, Carniolan, and Russian strains.
What kind of bees are in China?
China keeps both European honeybees (Apis mellifera) and the native Asian honeybee (Apis cerana). The presence of Apis cerana is a major reason why their bees are thriving.
Why are U.S. honeybees dying?
The main causes are Varroa mites, pesticide exposure, monoculture farming, stress from hive transportation, and lack of genetic diversity.
Why are Chinese honeybees thriving?
China’s bees benefit from small-scale, hands-on management, diverse farming systems, and the natural resilience of Apis cerana, which co-evolved with parasites like Varroa.
Can the U.S. introduce Asian honeybees?
At this time, Apis cerana is not present in the U.S., largely due to regulatory and ecological concerns. However, American researchers are studying mite-resistant traits and breeding hardier strains of Apis mellifera.
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🐝Las Vegas’s All-Natural Live Bee Removal Team
About Us: The Authors
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