You may have noticed there has been less buzzing around town lately. The long and cold winter has had a negative effect on the already declining bee population and Okanagan residents are the ones who will have to pay the price. Bob Chisholm, a long-time beekeeper in Kelowna and member of the B.C. Honey Producers Association, lost 150 hives this year. The hives are estimated to have been worth $45,000.
He says the bee decline means there will be less honey production this year. It also means you may have to pay more for apples and cherries because there are fewer bees to pollinate crops. Ed Nowek of Planet Bee Honey Farm says the decline may be the fault of the bees’ immune systems, which may not be strong enough to deal with new viruses and increased exposure to insecticides and pesticides. To help slow down the decline of the bee population, limit the use of pesticides in your garden and try to limit their use to nighttime, which is when bees are least active.
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