We have been getting this question a lot since news of the recent drought has hit the headlines. According to The San Diego County Agricultural Department, bee populations remain healthy here at home. But will all that change now that we are in a drought? Although it’s impossible to predict mother nature and how bees will behave, we can learn from how bees have behaved under similar circumstances in the past. Typically when water resources are low, the queen bee will reduce the number of swarms she produces. If the queen feels a lack of water will reduce the chances of survival for her colony, she will simply lay less eggs. This reduces the number of swarms that she will produce over the season. Will the reductions of swarms being produced affect the bee population next year? Only time will tell. In the meantime we can hope and pray for more rain in the future
.
