Speaker cites Varroa mite and pesticide exposure in recent honeybee die-offs

At the lecture, Mike Wheelbacher described a sharp recent decline in managed honeybee colonies, saying "As of early 2026, the honeybee industry is reeling for what scientists are calling the worst die off in history, worse than even colony collapse disorder." He traced that trend to an interaction of systemic pesticides and the Varroa destructor mite, which carries viruses and for which many miticides now show resistance.

Wheelbacher also explained how commercial beekeeping supports large-scale agriculture: he said roughly 2,000,000 managed colonies are trucked to California each almond season, and cited California's almond crop value in the billions. He warned that higher loss rates have led beekeepers to maintain more colonies than previously needed.