The famous work ethic of honey bees might spell disaster for these busy crop pollinators as the climate warms, new research indicates.
The famous work ethic of honey bees might spell disaster for these busy crop pollinators as the climate warms, new research indicates.
Flying shortens the lives of bees, and worker honey bees will fly to find flowers whenever the weather is right, regardless of how much honey is already in the hive. Using climate and bee population models, researchers found that increasingly long autumns with good flying weather for bees raises the likelihood of colony collapse in the spring.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, focused on the Pacific Northwest but holds implications for hives across the U.S. The researchers also modeled a promising mitigation: putting colonies into indoor cold storage, so honey bees will cluster in their hive before too many workers wear out.
Read More: Washington State University
WSU researchers and students collect samples and perform honey bee colony health assessments in orchards near Modesto, CA. (Photo Credit: Brandon Hopkins)
