SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Honeybee colonies across the United States are experiencing unprecedented losses.

This year, the U.S. has seen a staggering 62% decrease in honeybee colonies—one of the highest rates ever recorded. These losses are raising alarm among environmental advocates who warn of the significant consequences for food production.

Ben Powell, coordinator of Clemson University’s Apiculture and Pollinator program, says the situation is dire but not without hope.

“They’re an essential part of most ecosystems because they serve as critical pollinators,” said Powell. “About three fourths of the species of plants that we cultivate for crops are pollinated by honeybees.”

According to Powell, there are multiple factors causing the honeybee decline. While the use of pesticide is one of them, he emphasizes that habitat loss is among the biggest threats.

“The reduction in the forage plants that they need to collect the food to build their nest and raise their brood, has resulted because we’re changing the landscape,” he said. “We reduce the number of flowering plants in the landscape and replacing stuff like turf and that reduces the amount of forage that’s available to them.”

Historically, beekeepers are expected to lose 15% to 20% of their bee colonies annually due to natural disasters. However, those numbers have nearly doubled in the last decade. Powell said this year has seen exceptional losses.

“We had one of the highest colony loss rates that’s ever been recorded, and it was averaged out about 62%. I don’t know any agricultural producers that could lose 62% of their crops or their animals and stay in business, but beekeepers are industrious people. They overcome all these challenges and they’re working very, very hard to maintain our bee stocks and produce the services and products that bees give us.”

Beyond the ecological and agricultural importance, Powell emphasized the educational roles that beekeepers play when raising awareness:

“If you want to help bees, help beekeepers,” he said. “They’re engaging the public, they’re improving awareness. They’re teaching children and trying to get everybody to understand that the honeybee, the iconic pollinator, is indicative of what’s happening in the rest of the world around us.”

Powell also recommends that transforming your outdoor landscape can be an effective way to attract pollinators and cultivate an environment that supports them.

“You can plant plants in your yard that are better forage, get away from lawn grasses, get away from exotic species that don’t support our native pollinators near as well as the native flowering plants do.”