Do bees live in China?
David Craig
Updated on April 07, 2026
Do bees live in China?
China alone currently hosts more than 9 million bee colonies and 180,000 beekeepers4. Honey bee populations in China are undergoing rapid changes, with a strong drive to intensify apiculture and increase the number of managed honey bees5, and a concurrent reduction in managed and wild A.
What country has no bees?
Antarctica
Antarctica is the only continent that’s completely devoid of any bees. Of course, with temperatures reaching as low as minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit, not many living things can survive down there. In fact, most of the insects living in Antarctica are parasites — the kind that lives in the fur of sea animals or birds.
Does China have honey?
China is the world’s biggest producer of honey, accounting for about a quarter of global output, but its rise to dominance and its low prices have long been viewed with suspicion.
Are there honey bees in Asia?
The Asian honey bee (AHB), Apis cerana, is found throughout the tropical, sub-tropical and temperate zones of south-east and mainland Asia. This wide distribution has led to variations, commonly known as genotypes or strains, particularly between the temperate and tropical AHB.
Does China make beer?
Apart from Tsingtao, other major Chinese brewing groups include China Pabst Blue Ribbon, Yanjing, Sie-Tang Lio and Zhujiang Beer. Many major international brewers now have interests in, or joint ventures with, Chinese breweries, and popular international brands such as Carlsberg are now produced in China.
Are there no bees in China?
Abstract. China is one of the most significant providers of pollination ecosystem services globally. In addition to having unparalleled bee diversity, China has more than eight million managed bee colonies, and it is the world’s major honey producer. Yet, pollinators in China, especially bumble bees (Bombus spp.)
Why does China have no bees?
According to the South China Morning Post, “an estimated 80 percent of China’s native Honey Bee population has been lost since the introduction of European honey bees in the 19th century.” Currently, due to China’s low labor costs, many farmers in rural, underdeveloped provinces are now pollinating their crops by hand.
Why is Chinese honey bad?
Chinese honey has also been found to contain chloramphenicol, a powerful antibiotic that can lead to a life-threatening bone marrow disorder. The drug is banned for human consumption in the US.
Who produces the most honey in the world?
China
China was ranked the first among honey producing countries, with production volume amounted to about 444 thousand metric tons of honey that year….Leading producers of natural honey worldwide in 2019 (in 1,000 metric tons)*
| Characteristic | Production in thousand metric tons |
|---|---|
| – | – |
Do bees have a queen?
Queens are developed from larvae selected by worker bees and specially fed in order to become sexually mature. There is normally only one adult, mated queen in a hive, in which case the bees will usually follow and fiercely protect her.
Why are there so many bees in China?
Striking new photos show farm workers in Hanyuan county, in China’s Sichuan province, painstakingly applying pollen to flowers by hand. Hanyuan county is known as the “world’s pear capital.” But pesticide use has led to a drastic reduction in the area’s bee population, threatening the fruit crop.
How much does it cost to rent bees in China?
Shrinking numbers of bees could result in the loss of “hundreds of billions of dollars” worth of crops every year. But in some parts of China, hand pollination can actually cost less than renting bees to pollinate crops.
Where are people applying pollen to flowers in China?
In parts of rural China, humans are doing the work bees once did. Striking new photos show farm workers in Hanyuan county, in China’s Sichuan province, painstakingly applying pollen to flowers by hand. Hanyuan county is known as the “world’s pear capital.”
Why are there so many bees in Hanyuan County?
Hanyuan county is known as the “world’s pear capital.” But pesticide use has led to a drastic reduction in the area’s bee population, threatening the fruit crop. Workers now pollinate fruit trees artificially, carefully transferring pollen from male flowers to female flowers to fertilize them.
Striking new photos show farm workers in Hanyuan county, in China’s Sichuan province, painstakingly applying pollen to flowers by hand. Hanyuan county is known as the “world’s pear capital.” But pesticide use has led to a drastic reduction in the area’s bee population, threatening the fruit crop.
Hanyuan county is known as the “world’s pear capital.” But pesticide use has led to a drastic reduction in the area’s bee population, threatening the fruit crop. Workers now pollinate fruit trees artificially, carefully transferring pollen from male flowers to female flowers to fertilize them.
Shrinking numbers of bees could result in the loss of “hundreds of billions of dollars” worth of crops every year. But in some parts of China, hand pollination can actually cost less than renting bees to pollinate crops.
Where do they pollinate pear trees in China?
A Chinese farmer pollinates a pear tree by hand on March 25, 2016 in Hanyuan county, Sichuan province, China. A Chinese farmer displays the pollen used to pollinate pear trees by hand.