A Quarter of Bees In Czechia Did not Survive the Winter
The bees need help. Donate for Czech nature!
Almost a quarter of bee colonies did not survive this winter in the Czech Republic
This is the worst statistic so far in the last twelve years. Scientists say the extraordinary collapse of bee colonies is mainly linked to the dangerous varroasis, which gained momentum unusually early due to last year's warm spring.
"This year's data on the death of about 26 percent of the bee colonies is really extreme compared to previous years. At the beginning of September last year, 644 847 bee colonies were registered in the Czech Republic. If we convert the recorded deaths into absolute numbers, more than 160 000 of them did not survive the last winter," commented Jiří Danihlík from the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University in Olomouc, who together with his colleagues monitors bee colony mortality in the Czech Republic.
Beekeepers were also faced with unusually intense melecitic honeydew last July, complicating treatment of colonies against varroa. "Melecitic or "cement" honey is an extremely stiff honey, which beekeepers need to spin and process as soon as possible, otherwise it will remain in the comb and make it difficult for the bees to overwinter. The unprecedented production of cement honey last year was caused by a combination of a wet winter and a warm spring," explained Jiří Danihlík.
Scientists say the current bee colony die-offs reflect changing natural conditions. Winters in the Czech Republic have been mild in recent years and the warm spring weather arrives much earlier. Experts will therefore need to update existing beekeeping practice strategies and develop new methodologies for preventing and managing colony diseases.
Help bees in the Czech Republic. Donate with VAKOVAKO.
The Czech Nature Project provides financial assistance to ecological and conservation associations in the Czech Republic that are trying to protect and restore nature. Bees need diverse wildlife to thrive. Every piece of wild meadow or forest is essential for these hard-working animals to survive. Bees are an irreplaceable part of nature and we need to help and protect them by giving them space to live.
Donate with VAKOVAKO and 100% of your donation will help protect and restore the biodiversity of Czech nature. Every bee will thank you for it soonzzzzy.