Bee Informed Partnership Loss and Management Survey

 

The 2022-2023 Loss and Management Survey has now closed.

Thank you to all who participated and shared about the survey!

2023 Special Management Focus: Pest Management

In response to beekeeper feedback, we shortened the management section by focusing on a main management topic each year. This year’s focus in on everything pest and diseases: monitoring, prevention, control, integrated management, and perceived impacts.

Again this year: both Small-scale AND Large-scale minded survey versions
Large-scale beekeepers (sideliner and commercial) and small-scale beekeepers run their operations differently and tend to keep slightly different records. We designed two versions of the survey to capture loss and management information in a format that fits each group best, working with a panel of beekeepers for input.
Both versions are accessed through the same link.

 

The annual survey is the longest national effort to monitor honey bee mortality rates in the U.S. In addition to estimating the level of colony mortality in the country, the survey allows us to identify the most prevalent practices employed by U.S. beekeepers and relate those with risk of colony loss.
Find more information about the survey’s history and results here. Come back to this page to actually take the survey!

Principal Investigators: Dr. Nathalie Steinhauer (1,2) and Mikayla Wilson (1,2), supported by Dan Aurell (3), Dr. Selina Bruckner (3), and Dr. Geoff Williams (3)

(1)Bee Informed Partnership
(2)Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
(3)Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

 

Purpose: To document honey bee colony losses and related beekeeping management practices in U.S. operations on an annual basis.
Participation: Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Only US-based beekeepers will be included in the resulting US estimates. It is solely your decision whether or not to take part in this research study. If you choose to participate, you have the right to stop at any time. Your decision to stop participation, or not to participate, will not influence current or future relationships with the Bee Informed Partnership and affiliated universities.
Procedure: If you chose to participate, you will be asked a series of questions about your operation and your management practices. You will also be asked to provide an email that will be used only for administrative purposes and not linked with survey responses. Providing that email is voluntary. You will be asked if you agree to be contacted to receive results from this survey or be asked for your participation in future surveys. We will not release your contact information, and your participation in the survey will be kept confidential. No personally identifiable information will be disclosed in any publication or presentation resulting from this research.
Mention of a beekeeping product/practice in this survey does not constitute official endorsement or approval by the Bee Informed Partnership.
Duration: The survey will be accessible between April 1 and April 30, 2023. It will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. You may need to consult records, and we recommend that you look at the previews so that you know the questions in advance.
Risks: The research team does not expect participation in this study to expose you to any risks different from those you would encounter in daily life. Your participation in this research is confidential. No personally identifiable information will be disclosed in any publication or presentation resulting from this research.
Benefits: You will not benefit directly from taking part in this research, in that you will not receive a personalized report based on information from your operation. Results will be published in an aggregated and anonymized way. However, by learning more about colony losses and beekeepers’ practices, we hope that this research will benefit all beekeepers and society.
Costs: If you decide to participate using the online link below, there will be no additional cost to you.
If you prefer to print the survey and send it by mail (in which case please do so before May 1, 2023), you would have to apply appropriate postage.

Bee Informed Partnership

c/o University of Maryland, Department of Entomology
4112 Plant Sci Bldg
College Park, MD 20742
Attn: Nathalie Steinhauer

Data: Your participation in this research is confidential. All your answers will be stored in a secure, password protected database application that uses SSL encryption. Information collected through your participation will be analyzed and results will be posted on Bee Informed research platform and disseminated at meetings, workshops, annual conferences, through electronic media, bulletins, journal articles, and at professional meetings. No personally identifiable information will be disclosed in any publication or presentation resulting from this research. More information on our governance and policies, as well as our full data privacy and management plan can be found here .
Contact Information: If you have any questions about the purpose, procedures, or any other issues related to this research study you may contact the Principal Investigator, Dr. Nathalie Steinhauer through this contact form.

By moving forward and participating in this study you are agreeing that you have read and understood the terms and conditions outlined in this consent form and you acknowledge that you have asked any questions you have about the research and your questions have been answered to your satisfaction.

 

PDFs Previews of the survey are available here:

Don’t hesitate to print your version in advance of taking the survey online so that you can be prepared for our inquisitive questions.

When ready, head on to the link below to take the survey ONLINE:

Take the survey here

(link will be active April 1st to April 30, 2023)

 

 

auburn logo

UMD logo

 

Share the announcement:

We rely on word of mouth to reach as many beekeepers as possible. Please share the survey announcement far and wide with your beekeeping friends and local clubs!

 

 

Be Involved. Be Included.Bee Informed.

Donate Now ! →