Global managed honey bee hive counts have continued to grow rather than collapse: the FAO’s latest international dataset shows more than 100 million beehives worldwide in 2022, extending a multi-decade upward trend. At the same time, serious regional and species-specific declines persist; National Geographic notes that some areas have seen up to a 90% loss of honey bee populations in recent years.
In the United States, managed colony inventories remain broadly stable overall, but losses are still elevated. The latest national beekeeper survey from the Bee Informed Partnership reports an annual loss of about 30% for the 2023–2024 season—an improvement from roughly 48% in 2022–2023—while USDA NASS continues to identify Varroa destructor mites as the top reported stressor. Note that “annual loss” covers April-to-April turnover across all seasons, whereas “overwinter loss” focuses only on winter mortality; both measures are useful and often differ. Regionally, some native bee species face steep declines; for example, across New England, 14 bee species were reported declining by as much as 90% in 2019.
Experts today emphasize concrete stressors—Varroa mites, nutrition and forage gaps, queen issues, pathogens, pesticides, and extreme weather—rather than the narrower “colony collapse disorder” concept originally used for sudden worker disappearances. Regarding invasive threats, the Asian/northern giant hornet incursion in Washington State (2019–2021) has been contained: there have been no confirmed U.S. detections since 2021, and agencies report the species is not established in the U.S. (WSDA; USDA APHIS). Monitoring continues to ensure rapid response if reintroduced.
The decline of bees has serious economic and environmental implications. There are about 4,000 known native bee species in the U.S., and they play an essential role in maintaining not only our ecosystem, but also our food supply. Bees pollinate flowers, fruits and vegetables, so they are needed for plant growth on farms as well as in the wild. Beyond the U.S., the European Union hosts roughly 20 million managed hives and more than 600,000 beekeepers, yet market briefs still highlight health pressures and import reliance for honey (European Commission). Canada reported around 30% overwinter mortality in 2023/2024 and New Zealand’s long-running survey shows mid‑teens winter loss in 2024 (CAPA; NZ Colony Loss Survey).
Thankfully, scientists, beekeepers and agricultural experts are advancing solutions. Many companies, organizations, and individuals are pitching in as well. Data sharing and online tools—from loss surveys and open hive-scale networks to extension resources—make it easier to participate and learn (e.g., Bee Informed Partnership, BeeCounted). Now more than ever, the internet has also made it easier to join bee conservation efforts.
Hobby and commercial beekeepers can learn online and adopt sensors, apps, and analytics to monitor colonies between inspections. At the same time, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are cutting network energy intensity and scaling renewable electricity—helping decouple traffic growth from power use, according to the IEA.
Here’s how the internet is working together to save the bees — and how you can help, too.
ISPs Committing to Sustainability
Much of the decline of bee populations — and insect populations in general — is attributable to environmental decline and the hefty use of pesticides and fertilizers in farming practices. Heavy land use has also led to the loss of vast amounts of viable habitat for insects. According to one 2017 study, Germany’s insect population has seen a 75% decline since the 1990s.
ISPs have shifted from pledges to measurable progress since 2019: scaling renewable electricity, modernizing networks for efficiency, and issuing green financing. Industry tracking indicates that data transmission networks’ electricity use has risen only modestly despite surging internet traffic, due to equipment and architecture efficiency gains (IEA). Here’s how some of the biggest ISPs are helping.
Verizon
Verizon’s sustainability strategy includes net‑zero operational emissions by 2035, repeat green bond issuances, and approximately 3 gigawatts of long‑term renewable energy purchase agreements supporting its electricity needs (announced). These instruments fund projects in renewable energy and efficiency, helping to lower the company’s Scope 2 footprint even as data demand grows.
Verizon’s green financing programs have mobilized capital toward renewable procurement, energy efficiency, green buildings, sustainable water management and biodiversity conservation, reinforcing sector-wide decarbonization momentum (ESG resources).
AT&T
AT&T, one of the world’s largest companies, has multiple environmental initiatives as part of their social responsibility program, including:
- Investing in renewable energy.
- Reducing emissions.
- Building climate change resiliency.
- Empowering customers with sustainable technology.
- Minimizing waste and recycling.
AT&T targets net‑zero operations by 2035 and reports multi‑gigawatt renewable PPAs, supplier engagement on science‑based targets, and network energy efficiency programs across fixed and mobile footprints (sustainability roadmap). These measures complement sector trends validated by the IEA.
Spectrum
Charter Communications (Spectrum) is building sustainability into its fleets and facilities. The company’s new headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, will achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status. The Telecom company is also implementing new technologies to make its fleet of 30,000 vehicles more efficient. Across the industry, retiring legacy platforms and improving network energy features has helped keep electricity use relatively stable compared with traffic growth (IEA).
HughesNet
HughesNet, a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, was given an award by the Alliance for Workplace Excellence for EcoLeadership and Diversity in 2019. They received the award after establishing a “Green Committee,” which develops environmental programs and supports employee eco-volunteerism. The company is also certified as a “Green Business” by Montgomery County in Maryland. Within the broader telecom sector, energy-efficiency gains in data transmission networks have tempered electricity growth despite rising traffic, reflecting the value of modernization and renewable procurement (IEA).
Frontier
Frontier uses a variety of green initiatives to improve the sustainability of its business practices. The company allows its call center employees to work from home, which reduces emissions. It also hosts virtual meetings, provides employees with public transit spending accounts and enables customers to pay their bills online instead of by mail. Industrywide, fiber-first modernization and legacy network retirements are recognized levers to reduce energy per bit and Scope 2 emissions (IEA).
Broadband in Rural Areas
Broadband internet service is the most widely used type of internet access. It has become a necessary tool for businesses and consumers, enabling data‑heavy applications across the internet at modern benchmarks such as 100/20 Mbps used by the FCC in its latest progress assessment (2024 Broadband Progress Report).
Extending broadband internet services to rural areas has long been a goal for both local governments and private companies. Significant gains have been made, but gaps persist at modern performance levels. The FCC estimates roughly 24 million people lack access to fixed 100/20 Mbps broadband, and about 28% of rural Americans lack access at that level, with Tribal lands also lagging (FCC 2024).
According to the Pew Research Center, rural home broadband adoption sits in the low‑70s percent—several points lower than urban/suburban areas. NTIA’s 2023 Internet Use Survey (released 2024) similarly places rural fixed‑broadband subscription in the mid‑70% range, with rural “smartphone‑only” home internet in the low‑to‑mid teens (NTIA).
While rural broadband may not seem relevant to the fate of America’s bees, it will play a significant role in the beekeeping industry in the coming years. On U.S. farms, connectivity and e‑commerce are rising: 85% of farms report internet access; 52% purchase agricultural inputs online; and 29% market or sell agricultural products online—behaviors directly applicable to apiaries selling honey, queens, and pollination services (USDA NASS 2023).
The solutions being designed to save bee populations increasingly rely on continuous data flows. Where fixed 100/20 Mbps is unavailable, reliable cellular LPWAN (LTE‑M/NB‑IoT) or LoRaWAN backhaul can support remote apiary telemetry; absent any terrestrial coverage, emerging satellite IoT can transmit low‑bit‑rate summaries (GSMA on NB‑IoT; LoRa Alliance; BEAD program aims to close remaining gaps).
How Technology is Helping Save the Bees
Agriculture is adopting multi‑sensor, predictive Internet of Things (IoT) systems that reduce site visits and enable earlier interventions. In beekeeping, remote hive scales, brood‑area temperature/humidity probes, and acoustics with edge AI can flag risks such as queen loss, brood temperature anomalies, or imminent swarming—shifting management toward exception‑based workflows (BIP demand context; Arnia).
The “Internet of Things” refers to a system of connected computing devices that can transfer data over a network without the need for humans to interact with a computer or with each other. IoT technology refers to any type of computer technology that has this capability — it could be something as small as a smartphone or something as large as an entire growing facility.
As an example, tractor company John Deere started connecting its tractors to the internet, turning them into IoT devices in the process. Now, farmers can view data about their crop yields collected by their tractors while in operation. In the future, the company is expecting to deploy self-driving tractors and other technologies to assist farmers.
IoT has applications in beekeeping as well. Startups around the world are developing several IoT-enabled beekeeping systems to address the decline of bees, which is a threat to as much as 35% of food crops in the United States. These include IoT monitoring sensors, digital assistants, automated cameras and other technologies. In 2025, leading platforms combine weight, temperature/humidity, and audio sensing with LoRaWAN or NB‑IoT connectivity, and integrate with management apps for alerts and work orders (LoRa Alliance; GSMA NB‑IoT).
Inmarsat and ApisProtect
One example, ApisProtect, is a small device that attaches to the bottom of a beehive roof. ApisProtect has partnered with satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat to deploy the IoT technology.
ApisProtect collects data about the hive’s activity, then sends that data to the beekeeper via their smartphone. This way, the beekeeper can determine which hives are underperforming, which hives need intervention, and how effectively colonies are pollinating the surrounding area—an example of the shift toward predictive, exception‑based management at fleet scale.
Oracle and the World Bee Project Global Hive Network
In 2019, computer technology company Oracle announced its partnership with the World Bee Project to save bees using artificial intelligence (AI). Together, the two organizations created The Global Hive Network, the world’s first coordinated hive-monitoring project.
The network will generate data by monitoring hives around the world, which can then be used to identify trends and spot meaningful correlations within honey bee populations. The network will also monitor how honey bees behave and how they are impacted by weather patterns, diseases, pesticides and other threats. As of 2025, public pages primarily describe the project’s goals and approach; beekeepers and researchers continue to use multi‑sensor datasets and analytics to inform management.
Using all this data, beekeepers can take informed actions to help bee populations.
Apps and Software for Bee Management
IoT-enabled sensors embedded in hives will be able to record and transfer data to organizations that manage bees. Once they have this data, they can use software applications to assess the health of their pollinators. Other apps can help them track bee populations, track bee movements, and more. As of 2025, the market is consolidating around recordkeeping/inspection apps, AI‑assisted diagnostics, and sensor‑driven remote monitoring with predictive alerts (HiveTracks; Arnia).
- The World Bee Count App: Anyone can upload images they’ve taken of pollinating bees to the World Bee Count App. All they must do is post their picture to social media using the #beescount hashtag. Then, the images will become part of an interactive pollinator map. The goal of the project is to count pollinating bees around the world so we can better understand the reasons for their decline.
- Hive Tracks: A type of hive management software that enables beekeepers to record beekeeping data, set reminders, generate bee maps, share data and more. It’s a cloud-based tool, so users can access it wherever they are. The software is used by over 34,000 beekeepers in over 150 countries.
- My Apiary: Another cloud-based hive management application that’s designed especially for commercial beekeepers. It includes a digital work planner to reduce paperwork, organizational tools, a data reporting component and other features. Users can manage their entire beekeeping operation through a single digital dashboard.
- Pollenity: A company that makes products that serve not only as infrastructure for beekeeping, but also as IoT-enabled devices. For example, Pollenity’s Beebot uses sensors to capture data about important hive events, and their uHive system is a fully-functioning Langstroth hive equipped with sensors, humidity detectors and more.
- Bee Health Guru: A community bulletin board where beekeepers and bee enthusiasts can ask questions, share best practices and network. However, the community is also crowdfunding to create the Bee Health Guru app, which will monitor hives for specific sounds bees make when they are unwell. It will then compare those sounds against a proprietary database of audio files to inform beekeepers what is wrong with their bees. Prospective users should check the project pages for current status and availability.
- Arnia: A remote hive-monitoring system that aims to significantly improve the health and welfare of bees around the world. The system uses hive-monitoring sensors that are attached manually to hives. The sensors then relay data to a user interface, and the data can be shared and compared with historical information to determine trends.
Online Resources for Beekeeping
If you decide you want to join the beekeeping community, some of the above tools can certainly help. But you should also search for other online resources that can help you educate yourself on the trade. University and association programs such as Penn State Extension, UF/IFAS Master Beekeeper, and the BBKA Online Learning hub offer structured, evidence‑based learning paths.
Online courses
- The Beginner Beekeeping Online Course on Flow: Among other products, Flow produces frames that consist of partly-formed honeycomb cells, making it easier to collect honey from the hive. You can join the company’s beginner’s beekeeping course; check the course page for current pricing and access details.
- Beekeeping 101 at PennState Extension: This is a beginner’s online course for beekeepers. The entire course is self‑paced with quizzes and a certificate of completion, preparing you to manage your own bee colonies.
- eCornell Master Beekeeping Certificate Program: This course equips students to become beekeepers at the hobby or commercial level, and covers topics like bee biology, managing pests and diseases and the science of beekeeping. Students will receive a certificate upon completion; verify prerequisites and cohort schedules.
- University of Montana Online Beekeeping Certificate Program: This program includes three online courses that will take you through the apprentice, journeyman, and master levels of beekeeping, resulting in a “Master Beekeeper” certificate for the student. It’s endorsed by the Montana State Beekeepers Association; see the program site for current dates and fees.
- Beginner Beekeeping Courses on Udemy: Udemy is an unaccredited online learning platform that provides digital learning courses in various trades and industries, including beekeeping. Many beekeeping courses are offered at entry-level price points; check listings for reviews and content coverage.
- Courses at HoneyBees Online: HoneyBees Online has an Online Beekeeping Academy to help up-and-coming beekeepers learn the trade on their own time. The classes cover your first year of beekeeping, queen rearing, and other topics; see site for current offerings and pricing.
- Barnyard Bees on YouTube: Barnyard Bees is a YouTube channel that offers free instructional videos on beekeeping. The channel is owned by Barnyard Bees & Supplies of Chatsworth, Georgia.
Shopping for supplies
Once you’ve learned the tricks of the trade, you can shop online for beekeeping supplies from some of the following retailers:
- Kelley Beekeeping: A store for all your beekeeping needs, Kelley Beekeeping has been making high-quality products for beekeepers since 1924.
- Draper Bee: Draper Bee has a wide variety of protective gear and other beekeeping products, not to mention a great selection of pure honey.
- Dadant: A family-owned beekeeping product outlet that dates back seven generations. They have everything you need to start beekeeping.
- Western Bee Supplies: Western Bee Supplies has provided its customers with high-quality woodenware, containers, bee medications, extractors and other beekeeping supplies since 1965.
The Bottom Line
Managed honey bee hive numbers continue to grow globally (>100 million in 2022), yet elevated loss rates and multiple stressors persist. In the U.S., annual losses were ~30% in 2023–2024 after an atypically high ~48% in 2022–2023, with Varroa mites consistently the top reported stressor (FAOSTAT; BIP; USDA NASS). On the connectivity side, roughly 28% of rural Americans still lack fixed 100/20 Mbps service, and rural adoption trails urban, underscoring the importance of BEAD investments and LPWAN/satellite options for remote apiaries (FCC; NTIA).
New advances in IoT, data sharing, and corporate sustainability are making conservation and management more effective—from multi‑sensor hive monitoring and predictive alerts to ISPs’ renewable energy procurement and network modernization. If you’re ready to start beekeeping, leverage the courses and tools above, and consider connectivity options that match your location and goals.
