On June 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) released findings identifying high levels of Deformed Wing Virus strains A and B, along with Acute Bee Paralysis Virus, in recently collapsed colonies. These viruses are known to be spread by the parasitic Varroa destructor mite. Alarmingly, the study found that all mites sampled from these colonies carry genes associated with resistance to amitraz, a critical miticide widely used by beekeepers. Although other stressors, including pesticide exposure and poor nutrition, may play a role in these recent high losses, these findings underscore the urgent need for new mite treatment strategies to combat the escalating threat to honey bee colonies.

The scale of current losses is unprecedented—but it is not insurmountable.

With focused funding and collaboration, we can prevent deeper ecological and economic disruption. The Emerging Threat Fund offers a unique opportunity to act now, while we can still change the trajectory.

Together, we can protect honey bees.

Together, we can preserve the future of food.

When the beekeeping community faces a crisis, many organizations want to respond quickly and effectively. While the current wave of colony losses may feel like just the latest chapter in a long-standing struggle, the response from Project Apis m. and our research and industry partners has been driven by urgency and a shared commitment to help—often with unbudgeted time and resources.

To be better prepared for the next emergency, we created the Emerging Threats Fund. This fund will equip our community with the capacity to respond swiftly and strategically to future challenges. With your support, we can invest in science-backed research, rapid evaluation, and the tools beekeepers need—right when they need them most.

Beekeepers are calling for help. Researchers are ready. The only missing ingredient is funding.

With your support, the Emerging Threat Fund will:

🔬 Fund applied research proposals focused on current colony loss drivers

⚠️ Provide timely, science-based recommendations to mitigate future losses

🧠 Equip beekeepers, growers, and stakeholders with practical, data-informed strategies

🛡 Safeguard pollination services that underpin U.S. food production

Learn more about the colony losses: 

Whether you’re a concerned individual, a business owner, or part of a brand committed to sustainability, you have the power to support pollinator health and food security. Your action today fuels the research we need to reverse historic honey bee losses.

Here’s how you can get involved:

💳 Make a Donation
Every gift—big or small—helps fund critical research into the causes of colony losses and the solutions we need now.

🏷 Percent-of-Sales Giving
Businesses can pledge a portion of product or service sales to support pollinator health. It’s a powerful way to give back with every transaction.

🛒 Round Up at Checkout
Add a “Round Up for Research” option to your in-person or online sales, inviting customers to support bees with their spare change.

🌟 Become a Sponsor
Align your name or brand with agricultural resilience and science-backed solutions by becoming a named fund supporter.

📣 Spread the Word
Share this campaign with your network. Raising awareness is one of the simplest yet most impactful things you can do.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Host a Fundraiser
From bake sales to community events, grassroots efforts create real momentum. We’re here to help you get started.

🧭 All contributions are tax-deductible and support high-impact, peer-reviewed research.

Together, we can fund the science that protects pollinators—and the future of food.