ROUND UP AND THE BEES

Does Roundup Harm Bees? What Beekeepers and Scientists Are Learning

As beekeepers, we spend a lot of time thinking about the health of our bees. We watch the weather, monitor food stores, plant pollinator-friendly habitat, and pay close attention to changes in the landscape around our apiaries.

One question we hear often is:

Does Roundup® harm honey bees?

The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no.

While Roundup's active ingredient, glyphosate, was designed to kill plants rather than insects, growing research suggests that its effects on pollinators may extend beyond what was originally understood. More importantly, the widespread use of herbicides can dramatically change the landscapes that bees and other pollinators depend upon.

What Is Roundup?

Roundup is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. Its active ingredient, glyphosate, works by preventing plants from producing certain proteins they need to grow.

Because glyphosate targets a biological pathway found in plants, it has traditionally been considered less toxic to insects than many insecticides. This distinction is important because herbicides and insecticides affect pollinators in different ways.

However, "less toxic" does not necessarily mean "no impact."

What Research Says About Glyphosate and Bees

Most studies have found that glyphosate does not cause the immediate mass bee kills associated with some insecticides. Honey bees exposed to glyphosate typically do not die on contact.

However, researchers have identified several potential concerns.

Some studies suggest glyphosate may disrupt beneficial bacteria in the honey bee gut microbiome. These bacteria help bees digest food and fight disease. Other research has indicated that exposure may affect navigation, learning, memory, and foraging efficiency.

Scientists are still studying these effects and debating their long-term significance. While many questions remain unanswered, the research suggests that the relationship between glyphosate and bee health is more nuanced than previously believed.

The Bigger Problem: Losing Pollinator Habitat

As beekeepers, the most obvious impact we often see isn't direct exposure, it's habitat loss.

Honey bees and native pollinators rely on flowering plants for nectar and pollen. When herbicides eliminate dandelions, clover, wildflowers, flowering weeds, and other beneficial plants, they remove critical food sources from the landscape.

A field, roadside, or lawn may appear clean and well-maintained after herbicide application, but from a pollinator's perspective, it can become a food desert.

This is especially important during periods when nectar and pollen are naturally scarce. Early spring and late summer are often challenging times for bees, and flowering plants that many people consider weeds can provide valuable nutrition.

It's Not Just About Honey Bees

Honey bees often receive the most attention, but they are only one part of the pollinator story.

Wisconsin is home to hundreds of native bee species, along with butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Many of these species are even more dependent on native plants and localized habitat than honey bees.

When flowering plants disappear from the landscape, these pollinators lose food, nesting areas, and shelter.

The result is a quieter ecosystem with fewer insects performing the critical work of pollination.

What We See as Beekeepers

One of the advantages of working with bees year after year is that you begin to notice patterns.

You notice when colonies struggle to find pollen during periods when they should be growing.

You notice when once-diverse roadsides become grass and little else.

You notice when bees have to travel farther to find food.

The healthiest colonies are often surrounded by diverse sources of nectar and pollen throughout the season. They benefit from flowering trees, native prairie plants, gardens, clover patches, wildflowers, and yes, even some of the plants many people are quick to eliminate.

Pollinators thrive in landscapes filled with life.

What Can We Do?

The good news is that supporting pollinators doesn't require owning a farm or managing hundreds of acres.

Small actions can have a meaningful impact:

🌼 Plant native flowers that bloom throughout the growing season.

🐝 Leave some flowering plants and clover in lawns where practical.

🌱 Create pollinator patches in gardens, parks, schools, and community spaces.

🚫 Reduce unnecessary herbicide and pesticide use.

🌳 Protect flowering trees and shrubs that provide nectar and pollen.

💛 Support local beekeepers and organizations working to restore habitat.

The Bottom Line

The conversation about Roundup and bees is ultimately about more than one herbicide.

It's about the kind of landscapes we create and whether those landscapes provide enough food and habitat for pollinators to thrive.

While scientists continue to study the direct effects of glyphosate on bees, one fact is already clear: pollinators need diverse, flowering habitats to survive.

As beekeepers, we see that connection every day. Healthy pollinators support healthy ecosystems, productive farms, abundant gardens, and a resilient food supply. Protecting pollinators doesn't mean eliminating every tool from agriculture or landscaping. It means making thoughtful decisions that balance human needs with the needs of the species that help feed the world.

And that's something worth working toward.