Greengage
30-11-2015, 09:44 AM
Big meeting on in paris today re climate change, the last report ran for 30 chapters and 1500 pages so Ill read it if i break both my legs , if you have time they can be read here, https://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports.shtml#1
They conclude warmer but wetter summers, milder winters, more flooding, sea rises, shift in climatic zones and more extreme weathers.
So how will it effect beekeepers and keeping of bees.
Wetter summers will make foraging more difficult for bees dandelions and hawthorn will get nectar washed out and pollen will probably be soaked. probablly no heather honey either.
Poor mating as drones will not fly if it is very wet, bees confined to the hive for longer periods causing congestion probably leading to more swarming. Milder winters meaning bees flying longer and no forage when they are out, Also plants blooming out of sinc with bees flying. More diseases thriving in milder climate.
Imagine this, heavy rain during the summer bees out forageing starts to rain all rush back to hive getting pelted with hail some knocked out of sky others cannot get into hive because of numbers they get soaked queen arrives after being out mating she cannot get in either. Disaster.I have seen pictures of Apiarys flooded already this year on the net. Milder weather will see an increase of new insects and pests that can survive, Ivy bee on its way, Bombus hortorum is moving fast from its original habitiat,Hornets and wasps robbing hives, Bleeding canker of horse chestnut trees is well established, cold east winds around easter will see catkins on willows fail. Wood peckers are already here like magpies give them a few years and they will be major pest. Dont mention small hive beetle. Looks like things will get worse for beekeepers and we will have to probably rear bees inside like other livestock and feed them in Artificial Apiarys.
I would not trust the politicans to get it right the will probably suggest carbon taxes little imagination there. Our leader gets 3 minuites to save the world there. Dont hold your breath.
They conclude warmer but wetter summers, milder winters, more flooding, sea rises, shift in climatic zones and more extreme weathers.
So how will it effect beekeepers and keeping of bees.
Wetter summers will make foraging more difficult for bees dandelions and hawthorn will get nectar washed out and pollen will probably be soaked. probablly no heather honey either.
Poor mating as drones will not fly if it is very wet, bees confined to the hive for longer periods causing congestion probably leading to more swarming. Milder winters meaning bees flying longer and no forage when they are out, Also plants blooming out of sinc with bees flying. More diseases thriving in milder climate.
Imagine this, heavy rain during the summer bees out forageing starts to rain all rush back to hive getting pelted with hail some knocked out of sky others cannot get into hive because of numbers they get soaked queen arrives after being out mating she cannot get in either. Disaster.I have seen pictures of Apiarys flooded already this year on the net. Milder weather will see an increase of new insects and pests that can survive, Ivy bee on its way, Bombus hortorum is moving fast from its original habitiat,Hornets and wasps robbing hives, Bleeding canker of horse chestnut trees is well established, cold east winds around easter will see catkins on willows fail. Wood peckers are already here like magpies give them a few years and they will be major pest. Dont mention small hive beetle. Looks like things will get worse for beekeepers and we will have to probably rear bees inside like other livestock and feed them in Artificial Apiarys.
I would not trust the politicans to get it right the will probably suggest carbon taxes little imagination there. Our leader gets 3 minuites to save the world there. Dont hold your breath.