Organic beekeeping is healthier for bees - and their keepers

Bees in the U.S. just endured their worst year on record, with massive colony losses hitting keepers hard. That’s not just bad news for bees – it’s a big hit to farmers, food systems, and, of course, the beekeepers who rely on healthy hives for their livelihoods.

In a new study, researchers at Penn State report that organic beekeeping offers a route that avoids synthetic pesticides and may raise profits.

You’d think that organic methods – often seen as expensive or risky – would be tough to pull off with something as delicate as bees. Turns out, that’s not the case.

Not only can honey bee colonies survive under organic management, they can thrive. And in some cases, they can even outperform conventionally managed colonies in honey production.

Organic beekeeping isn’t hands-off

When people hear “organic beekeeping,” they sometimes assume it means doing nothing – just letting bees fend for themselves. That’s not even close.

Organic beekeeping still involves pest control and active hive management. The big difference is no synthetic pesticides or miticides.

Instead, beekeepers use treatments like organic acids, essential oils, and other tools approved under the National Organic Program. These help control dangerous parasites like Varroa mites, which can wipe out colonies if left unchecked.

“Organic beekeeping is not chemical-free beekeeping, and it does not mean that you do not control any of the pests that you have in the colony,” said study co-author Margarita López-Uribe.

“On the contrary, it involves having a deep care for the welfare of the colony in such a way that if – for example – Varroa mite levels go above a certain threshold, you take an active role in controlling them.”

Organic beekeeping is profitable

Over the course of three years, the researchers set up honey bee colonies across four certified organic farms in Pennsylvania. They tracked three types of hive management.

The first was conventional, which relied on synthetic treatments. The second was chemical-free, which avoided all pest control products. The third was organic, which prohibited synthetics but allowed approved pest control methods such as organic acids and essential oils.

The results were clear. Both organic and conventional systems made money, while the chemical-free colonies lost money – and a lot of it.

Profits for organic and conventional systems were 14 and 11 times higher, respectively, than in the chemical-free approach. That’s mostly because bees in the chemical-free colonies weren’t being protected from parasites. They couldn’t produce enough honey to break even.

Remarkably, by the third year, honey production in the organic colonies was 50% higher than in the conventional colonies.

Healthier bees, healthier beekeepers

Using organic methods doesn’t just help the bees. It also protects the humans working with them.

Beekeepers using synthetic pesticides are regularly exposed to these chemicals while treating their hives. Organic management cuts down on that risk. It also means that the honey, wax, and other products pulled from the hive have lower levels of pesticide residue.

“Avoiding the use of synthetic miticides circumvents the impacts of miticide-resistant parasitic mites, which were a major factor in overwintering colony losses across the country during the 2024–25 winter,” said study co-author Robyn Underwood.

Why organic honey is not certified

Even though these farms used organic beekeeping methods, none of the honey they produced can be labeled “organic” in the continental United States.

This is because the rules say that in order to label honey organic, the plants bees visit within 1.8 miles of the hive must also be free of synthetic chemicals. In most parts of the U.S., that’s just not realistic. You can’t control where the bees fly, and they often go beyond the farm’s boundaries.

So even if a beekeeper follows every organic practice to the letter, their honey still can’t legally be labeled as organic.

Still, the methods matter. The bees stay healthier, the keepers stay safer, and the honey keeps flowing.

Profit without compromise

This researchers hope that their findings will encourage more beekeepers to consider switching to organic management.

“Our research demonstrates that you can manage your colonies following organic standards and don’t need to use synthetic pesticides to keep colonies healthy,” said López-Uribe. “It also provides evidence-based recommendations for what beekeepers can do to avoid these synthetic pesticides.”

The study showed that pest control – especially managing Varroa mites – is key to profitability. If left unchecked, these mites can cause serious damage. But when managed with organic methods, colonies not only survive, they may produce even more honey than under conventional systems.

More research is planned to help small and mid-size operations figure out exactly which practices work best. But for now, the message is clear: organic beekeeping works, and it pays.

The full study was published in the journal Journal of Economic Entomology.

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