WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Bees have to keep their temperature at about 95 degrees to be able to fly. Kansas extremes dipping to the colder end in the winter make it increasingly difficult for hives to survive.
Beekeepers say it’s normal to lose a few bees this time of year, but keeping them alive over time is becoming more difficult.
It’s around this time of year when James Carpenter starts winterizing his hives.
“Just trying to give them a little bit of a leg up to try to get them past the last part of winter into the spring,” Carpenter said. “Once the dandelions start blooming, then they’re off to the races.”
Winterizing helps keep his colonies from dying off. He lost two of his 22 last winter. He’s been beekeeping since 2020.
Sharon Rowan has been keeping bees with her husband for 57 years.
“If we had 2% to 3% percent loss through the winter, that was a good year,” Rowan said. “Now, we’re fortunate if we can get through the winter with less than 50% loss.”
The worse the survival rate gets, the fewer bees there are to pollinate and help plants grow.
“If we start losing these bees in such large numbers, we’re gonna lose a lot of our food supply. There will no longer be apples or pumpkins or cucumbers or tomatoes,” Rowan said. “I mean, there’s so many crops that are so completely dependent on pollination.”
The importing of bees has led to more pests, but the main issue is pesticides, which some bees can bring into the hive.
“The others will consume it, and then, they’ll all die,” Rowan said.
Destruction from storms and wildfires also makes it harder for bees to survive.
“The backyard beekeepers are of great value to us,” Rowan said.
Backyard hives give bees more habitat to survive, but Rowan says losses are growing. She said the more people become aware of bees and grow plants that help them survive, the better.