BOISE, Idaho — Idaho's mild winter has caused all sorts of issues and challenges for bee populations, and we're not just talking honey.
Treasure Valley Beekeepers are very concerned about the warm weather we've seen so far this winter. For bees, it may already look and feel like spring, but when they leave their hive to hunt for pollen, they won't find any, and that disruption to their natural hibernation cycle can be deadly.
WATCH | Hear from beekeepers on how this weather is impacting bee populations—
"Bees are 100% needed to pollinate those fruit trees and other blooming plants, but if they don't make it through the winter, there's no bees there to pollinate come spring, and that's going to be a big issue," said Garrett Hanna of the Treasure Valley Beekeeper's Club.
Hanna points out that if you lose bees, farmers and fruit growers risk losing harvests, meaning a mild winter can be a deal breaker for commercial beekeepers.
The City of Boise's official beekeeper and Foothills Learning Center Lead Ben Lafron explains what could happen as a result.
"It's going to be more expensive for vegetable or fruit, and then it's going to cost more to replenish the stock of bees, which is a fairly easy task, but it takes time and money."
Lafron adds, "All of this impacts everybody in the end."
He says the city has taken notice and even decided to go a little lighter on their pesticides and herbicides in the spring and in all their parks. "Some people may not like dandelions, but it's one of the first great resources for nectars and pollen for bees."
Lafon says that to get some hands-on training with their bees, one of the very interesting features they got last year was a tree. The city called and said they have a tree down, full of bees. They cut the section out, chopped it in half, and brought the bees to their new home at the Foothills Learning Center.
He says he will continue to monitor the situation right into spring.
"Healthy bees, happy bees."
