The Decline of Japanese Honeybees and Its Causes

Have you noticed that you don’t see as many bees in cities and parks these days?

Despite their small size, Japanese honeybees play an essential role in both our daily lives and the natural environment.

However, in recent years their numbers have been gradually declining.

Today, let’s look at the important roles Japanese honeybees play and the reasons behind their decline.

The Importance of Japanese Honeybees

Japanese honeybees are indispensable to our food supply and natural environment.

They pollinate fruits and vegetables, while also providing us with valuable products such as honey and royal jelly.

Unlike Western honeybees, Japanese honeybees collect nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowers.

This behavior supports the reproduction of native plants, helping to sustain Japan’s unique ecosystems.

In fact, the sight of healthy, active bees is often considered a “barometer” of the local environment’s health.

If their activity is strong, it means there is plant diversity and a well-balanced ecosystem.

Unfortunately, due to urbanization, deforestation, pesticide use, and climate change, the number of Japanese honeybees is steadily decreasing.

This decline threatens not only crop production but also the balance of entire ecosystems.

Main Causes of Decline

Cause	Details	Impact
Pesticides	Neonicotinoids and others	Affect the nervous system, reduce homing ability, make hive maintenance difficult
Loss of habitat	Urbanization and development reduce flowers and trees	Leads to poor nutrition, harming growth and reproduction
Climate change	Global warming, extreme weather, prolonged rains	Mismatch between flowering times and bee activity, resulting in nectar shortages
Predators and diseases	Hornets, parasitic mites, viruses	Damage to colony health, leading to hive decline

・Pesticides: Especially neonicotinoids, which disrupt bee behavior and prevent them from returning to their hives.

・Loss of habitat: With fewer flowers and trees, nectar sources decrease, harming bee growth and reproduction.

・Climate change: Shifts in flowering times caused by warming and extreme weather can be out of sync with bee activity.

・Predators and diseases: Hornets and mites attack colonies, while viruses weaken the entire hive.

All of these factors combined are causing Japanese honeybee populations to decline year by year. This poses a serious issue not only for agriculture but also for the natural environment as a whole.

What We Can Do

There are many things we can do to stop the decline of Japanese honeybees and protect their future.

1. Grow nectar plants in your garden or balcony

Providing flowers throughout the year helps supply bees with essential nutrition.

2. Reduce pesticide use

In home gardening or farming, try natural alternatives instead of chemical pesticides.

3. Support conservation efforts

By supporting local beekeepers and organizations, you directly contribute to bee conservation.

4. Choose raw Japanese honey

Purchasing rare raw Japanese honey supports beekeepers and conservation efforts.

Its natural sweetness is perfect for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Summary

Japanese honeybees are vital for our lives and the natural environment.

Yet their numbers are declining due to pesticides, climate change, habitat loss, and threats from predators and disease.

What we can do is simple: plant flowers, limit pesticide use, and choose raw Japanese honey.

Every small action we take helps protect Japanese honeybees and the natural world.