Texas has lost two-thirds of its honeybee colonies as of early 2026, a Texas State beekeeping club is rebuilding its hives to help restore pollinators and protect local ecosystems.
Bobcat Buzz, a student-run beekeeping organization created in 2016, is dedicated to raising honeybees and educating students about pollinator conservation and agricultural sustainability. The club is working to recover after losing all of its hives last year due to mismanagement, parasites and pesticide use.
Susy Esqueda, co-president of Bobcat Buzz, said the decline is already having visible impacts on pollinators and agriculture across the state.
”Bees are the backbone of our food supply and the faces of agriculture, but they don’t get the recognition they deserve,” Esqueda said.
Esqueda said that as of this year, Texas lost about 60% of its honeybee colonies. The rapid decline threatens both food production and local ecosystems like the San Marcos River.
Project Apis m., an organization dedicated to studying and protecting honeybees, confirmed that Texas lost 61-67% of honeybee colonies as of early 2026.
Pollinators commonly found in Hays County include honeybees, carpenter bees, monarch and queen butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, flies and beetles. According to Esqueda, all pollinators contribute to local biodiversity and agriculture.
Esqueda said The Bee Supply in Round Rock is delivering two new shipments of bees on April 10, which is a major step in rebuilding the club’s operations.
”The bees rely on native plants near the agriculture building, but will travel three to five miles to forage and avoid attracting predators,” Esqueda said. “The bees will pollinate surrounding areas like [Sewell] Park and the river.”
According to Iliana Peña, the chairwoman of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee, habitat loss from urban development, pesticide use and extreme weather conditions are key factors in decreasing pollinator populations in Texas.
In response to the decline, TPWD launched the Wild Thumb app in February to encourage Texans to plant native species that support pollinators.
The app provides region-specific plant recommendations to help residents incorporate native plants into yards, gardens and smaller spaces like apartment patios.
Wild Thumb is part of TPWD’s Pollinators and Prairies program, which works to improve the quality and quantity of grassland habitats statewide.
Julie Shaddox, director of development and conservation programs at TPWD, said the app takes away the hassle and stress of gardening through features like watering schedules and weather updates.
”By planting even a few native plants, Texans can make a tangible difference in restoring the critical habitat these species [pollinators] depend on,” Shaddox state in a TPWD press release.
Peña said tracking pollinator populations is difficult due to the need for large-scale data collection. However, digital tools like iNaturalist allow residents to document plants and animals across Texas. The platform enables users to photograph wildlife, helping researchers monitor biodiversity and identify where conservation is needed.
Students in San Marcos can still play a role in protecting pollinators, even in small living spaces according to Peña.
Container-friendly native plants such as Texas lantana, Turk’s cap, pink evening primrose, red yucca and esperanza provide essential resources to pollinators, according to Peña.
Esqueda said students do not need to interact directly with bees to help support their survival.
”Even if you’re afraid of bees, planting native plants and providing water sources still helps them survive,” Esqueda said. “If every student could grow just one plant, it would really make a difference in the environment.”
