Hailu, T.G.; Atsbeha, A.T.; Wakjira, K.; Gray, A. High Rates of Honey Bee Colony Losses and Regional Variability in Ethiopia Based on the Standardised COLOSS 2023 Survey. Insects2024, 15, 376.
Hailu, T.G.; Atsbeha, A.T.; Wakjira, K.; Gray, A. High Rates of Honey Bee Colony Losses and Regional Variability in Ethiopia Based on the Standardised COLOSS 2023 Survey. Insects 2024, 15, 376.
Hailu, T.G.; Atsbeha, A.T.; Wakjira, K.; Gray, A. High Rates of Honey Bee Colony Losses and Regional Variability in Ethiopia Based on the Standardised COLOSS 2023 Survey. Insects2024, 15, 376.
Hailu, T.G.; Atsbeha, A.T.; Wakjira, K.; Gray, A. High Rates of Honey Bee Colony Losses and Regional Variability in Ethiopia Based on the Standardised COLOSS 2023 Survey. Insects 2024, 15, 376.
Abstract
The COLOSS research association has been assessing honey bee colony losses, associated risk factors and management, focusing on Western countries but with a progressive international expansion. Here, we report the first survey on the loss rates of colonies in 2022/23 in Ethiopia using COLOSS monitoring survey tools. A face-to-face interview questionnaire survey was conducted on 64 beekeepers selected from Oromia and Tigray regions. This covered 1,713 honey bee colonies distributed in 68 apiaries. The percentages of colonies lost were significantly different between Oromia (24.1%) and Tigray (66.4%) regions. Colony losses were attributed as unsolvable queen problems (8% in Oromia; 10% in Tigray), natural disaster (32%; 82%), and empty hives or dead colonies (60%; 8%). The loss rate was significantly affected by queen replacement (p
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