Bees endure cold and frost in a kind of hibernation. But the mild temperatures have already lured them out of their hives and encouraged them to collect pollen. This is the beginning of the breeding season for them.
Weimar (dpa/th) – The mild weather has lured the bees out of hibernation in many places in Thuringia. From temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius, they fly out and have already collected pollen, as Ralf Kunz from the Thuringian beekeepers association said. They will find what they are looking for in hazel and Christmas roses, for example. “That’s not unusual. There have also been mild winters in recent years.” In and of itself, the Carnica bee breed, which is particularly widespread in this country, is very adaptable. It has its origins in the Balkan region.
“The bee is a light animal and the bee year begins with the winter solstice,” explained the expert. The warmer it is and the more pollen is collected, the more the colonies get into the breeding business. Then the need for food increases because the bees raise the temperature in the brood nest to around 35 degrees. In the winter cluster, a colony needs an average of one kilogram of feed per month, when they breed 5 to 6 kilograms, Kunz calculated.
However, even on warmer days, there is currently a lack of flowers that provide nectar to the bees. If beekeepers have fed their colonies too little in late summer, the reserves in the hive can become tight. New cold snaps could also be problematic for some peoples. Then the flow of feed in the hive sometimes breaks down because the bees don’t leave their brood, explained Kunz. The burden of Varroa mites, which multiply in the brood cells of the bees, also increases with the breeding operation.
Ultimately, the bee is a domesticated animal and humans must ensure that the conditions are right, stressed Kunz. For example, it is possible to feed with honeycombs or feed dough. These pests could also be kept in check by competent treatment of colonies against the Varroa mite. In addition, vegetation develops earlier when temperatures are mild and many plants are now flowering earlier than they were decades ago, emphasized the beekeeper. This is also the case with traditional costumes such as fruit blossom and rapeseed. “If bee colonies start brooding earlier, they will then have the appropriate power to pollinate in the spring.”
For the well-being of the bees, the year must ultimately be considered as a whole, emphasized Kunz. It is important that there is a continuous supply of nectar and pollen in the landscape. In recent years, however, it has been observed that, for example in spring, more and more plants are flowering at the same time and then the food supply for bees suddenly decreases.
According to the information, there are around 4,200 beekeepers in Thuringia, more than 3,000 of whom are organized in the state association. According to Kunz, they keep an average of 7 to 8 bee colonies.
