A Critical Moment for Beekeepers: Is High-Tech the Answer?

Dear Beekeeping Community,

In our recent livestream with Blake Shook, we discussed an alarming and urgent issue—what could potentially be the biggest honey bee die-off since Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Reports from beekeepers across the country are warning of devastating losses, with some fearing this could surpass the infamous CCD crisis of the early 2000s.

This isn’t just another bad season—it’s shaping up to be a real-world stress test for the high-tech solutions that have promised to revolutionize beekeeping.

Are High-Tech Beekeeping Solutions Ready for the Challenge?

In recent years, companies like BeeHero and BeeWise have introduced cutting-edge technology designed to improve honey bee health, optimize pollination, and prevent catastrophic losses. Using AI, machine learning, and real-time monitoring, these innovations aim to make beekeeping more efficient and sustainable.

These companies have raised millions from investors and convinced many beekeepers to adopt their approach, securing some sort of control in a significant portion of pollination contracts.

Personally, I’ve always believed these technologies were more advantageous to farmers—helping them get a better return on investment from pollination contracts—rather than truly benefiting beekeepers themselves. But I might be wrong here.

What’s clear is that this crisis presents the first major test to see whether these technologies can actually deliver on their promises. With hive losses skyrocketing, both beekeepers and farmers need to pay close attention to how well these systems perform under real-world, high-pressure conditions.

What Beekeepers Need to Do Right Now

✅ Evaluate Your Losses & Compare Data
If you’ve invested in a high-tech solution, now is the time to analyze your results carefully. Are your survival rates better than those who haven’t adopted these technologies?

✅ Hold Companies Accountable
These tech-driven solutions have made bold claims—are they delivering during this crisis? If not now, when?

✅ Reevaluate Your Investment
If your tech solution isn’t preventing losses or providing clear benefits, it might be time to rethink where you’re investing your money. Beekeepers face a harsh reality—survival depends on making the right choices today.

The Bottom Line

This potential die-off is a watershed moment for beekeeping technology. If companies like BeeHero and BeeWise are truly game-changers, this is their moment to prove it. If not, beekeepers need to look elsewhere for solutions that actually work.

If you know a beekeeper using these technologies who would like to join me in a livestream, please ask them to reach out to me.

To be clear, I have nothing against the people behind these companies. I know many of them personally, and they are serious professionals trying their best. However, if the technology isn’t delivering as expected, it’s time to rethink and adjust.