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South Dakota Bees ‘Be Struggling’ Due to Dry Conditions
Maybe it's just me, but when I think of the drought conditions like what we are seeing in South Dakota, I don't immediately think, "Boy, this is going to be a really tough year for the bee population." Farmers yes. My lawn and garden, oh yeah! Bees...not so much.
Come to find out, bees and beekeepers are really struggling at the moment, and things could get a whole lot worse for them if we don't start getting some rain pronto!
During extremely dry years, where so many areas of the state desperately need precipitation, the bee population is drying up as well.
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Area beekeeper, Patricia Wells, told Dakota News Now, bee populations weren't able to stockpile enough food. According to Wells, "They’re weren't able to go out and get as much pollen and nectar as they normally would. That leads to a smaller brood population.”
The dry conditions are helping to create a stressful situation for the state's bee population.
It all adds up to another big blow for South Dakota, which believe it or not, ranks second-highest historically in honey production in the nation.
I knew we were sweet in this state, but not that sweet.
As Dakota News Now reports, beekeepers are being forced to feed their populations a sugar syrup solution. That move can be quite spendy and only minimizes the damage from what I understand.
Beekeepers in South Dakota and around the country are enduring skyrocketing costs as they struggle to keep their dwindling bee populations alive and in a condition where they can easily survive the winter months.
In the end, what it boils down to is any damage to the bee population effects the food chain, which ultimately has a big effect on you and me.
So, let's all bee hopeful we get a few good soakers very soon for our good friends, the bees.
Source: Dakota News Now
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