After a three year drought, we finally got what we have been wishing for…lots of rain! Last week all of California was drenched by a good sized storm, the edge of which reached San Diego County. Although we are not out of the woods yet when it comes to the overall drought in California, it is a relief to begin the year with a rain surplus here in San Diego.
Rain is so important for the survival of the honeybee. Without rain you have less flowers. Less flowers means less food for the bees. Studies have shown that a queen bee lays less eggs when water is scarce. Why make babies if you can’t feed them, right?
Needless to say, it’s been a tough three years for the California Beekeeper. In addition to all the other threats that face the honeybee, some beekeepers needed to take nature into their own hands. In order to prevent bee loss, some beekeepers had to provide a food source near the hive boxes, even during the spring and summer months.
Take a look at the video below. Its a clip that was taken a few weeks ago before the rain hit San Diego. In the video the bee Whisperer describes the impact of the drought on the bees at the bee farm.
As of the writing of this blog it looks as though there will be more rain in the San Diego area in the near future. We here at Bee Best are keeping our fingers crossed that the rain will continue and the bees will thrive next year.
Got a tip for maintaining and taking care of bees? We’d love to hear about it! Share your thoughts in the comments.
