Skip to main content

Harsh winter hits honey bees: Number of colonies who did not survive up by a third

A third of honeybee colonies did not survive the winter following last year’s wash-out summer, a survey of beekeepers has revealed.

The level of colony losses across England is more than double what it was last year, up to 34% from 16% in 2012, the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) said.

The results reflect poor weather last summer, which frequently prevented honeybees from foraging and gathering pollen, and reduced the amount of food available from flowering plants, as nectar production is temperature dependent.

A third of honeybee colonies did not survive the winter following last year¿s wash-out summer

As a result there was inadequate nutrition for bees, especially during late summer when the specialised bees which take the colony through winter are born. 

The poor weather also hit mating for new virgin queens, causing their colonies to die out.

  More... The stars that follow day and night: Scientists discover new class of 'pulsating' constellation that gets lighter and darker over regular time period Get ready for a typically damp British summer as forecasters warn jet stream plunge could lead to unsettled wet weather into August

It is the worst set of results since the BBKA started its annual survey of members to see how honeybee colonies were faring over winter six years ago.

The poor weather also hit mating for new virgin queens, causing their colonies to die out

Beekeepers in the south west were worst hit, with more than half (53%) of colonies lost, while all areas of England saw significantly higher losses than last year, the survey showed.

And the situation may have worsened since the survey was completed at the end of March, as bees have continued to face bad weather and the late arrival of spring.

David Aston, chairman of the BBKA, said: 'Those honeybee colonies which have survived the winter and are now prospering have done so in the main due to the careful nurturing through the winter by beekeepers who have spent much time and effort feeding and carrying out frequent checks on hives, incurring significant additional expense meeting the need to continually feed their bees.

'The training and education of beekeepers to be able to adapt their beekeeping practices to help their honeybees cope with this period of changing weather patterns is a high priority for all beekeeping associations.'

Honeybee colonies which are suffering from poor nutrition become more vulnerable to disease and other stress factors.

If colonies are smaller as a result of the poor summer, they can also find it harder to survive the winter as they cluster together in cold weather and can starve if the smaller cluster is not close to food stores within the hive.


Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o