One commercial beekeeper has lost nearly 1 500 hives following the recent heavy rains that destroyed several parts of the Western Cape.
The Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA) says the total number of affected hives could be in the thousands, as estimates are still being tallied.
Picture: Laurel Gougler/Pexels
Several beekeepers have reported major losses after hives were overwhelmed by burst river banks. Some were completely washed away. The hives are typically placed near rivers as it assures bees of forage and water, according to the Standard. ‘It is devastating for beekeepers when they lose beehives, whatever the number,’ says Chris Nicklin, WCBA chair. ‘Particularly distressing is the loss of the bee colonies that occupy these hives.’
A major concern now is the effect of the loss of hives and bee colonies, which will negatively impact the early-season pollination of blueberries and plums. For biological reasons, only the Cape honeybee (also known as Apis mellifera capensis) may be used for pollination in the Western Cape. Due to this, beekeepers from other provinces will not be able to assist as they work with a different subspecies – the African honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata).
Because moving large apiaries is a major logistical exercise, beekeepers are working against time to rescue their hives. Although some were able to move vulnerable hives to higher ground after the initial heavy rains, others were not so lucky as floodwaters travelled at a rapid rate.
The Standard reports that the risk of further flooding remains, as dams are now filled to capacity. ‘A worrying factor is that many of these lost beehives were due to be moved into the fruit orchards in the Western Cape for pollination,’ says Nicklin. ‘This could result in a shortage of beehives for the critical task of pollination, particularly early in the spring season.’
This originally appeared on capetownetc.com
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