Bee pollination set back by storms, experts hope spring will be more promising

By Brisa Colón

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    SOLEDAD, California (KSBW) — The bee industry is working to recover from this year’s storms. Cold, wet conditions hindered the pollination of various crops. Though this past winter was tough on the industry, experts say the spring looks promising.

“There was a nine-day period where the bees could not fly because of the cold, windy, rainy weather, so it required us to feed our bees more,” said Gene Brandi, a commercial beekeeper.

Brandi has owned apiaries for over 50 years and is the chairman of The Foundation for Preservation of Honeybees.

He transports his bees over six times a year around the country, mainly in Central California, as well as the Central Coast. During the springtime, Brandi brings his bees to the Central Coast to pollinate Spring wildflowers and produce honey.

“The bees are here in this ranch in Soledad to potentially make some honey, perhaps some sage. There is some sage up in the hills here,” Brandi said.

Following each winter, some of Brandi’s hives die, and when spring hits, he must make up for them by bringing in the queen bees.

“Normally, we get our California Queens by the first of April and everybody is late this year because of the storms,” said Brandi. “We’re getting 100 today. They come in a box of 100 and they are $29 apiece. So, a box of one hundred is almost $3,000 with shipping.”

The last three years of drought were not good for the honey industry, even though the honey flow hasn’t started yet this year, Brandi says the industry is looking forward to a good spring.

“Rains have actually been a blessing for us in the sense that it’s going to make for a great spring,” said Brandi. “There’s already a lot of wildflowers out and we’re looking forward to a good crop. We’re hoping sage honey, buckwheat honey, toyon honey.”

Sage honey is a premium product that can only be made after there is ample rain. Brandi is hopeful to have a return of sage honey for the first time since 2019.

Bees are essential, as they are responsible for polluting nearly 20 billion dollars worth of crops each year across the nation. Produce such as berries, and seeds of veggies like lettuce and broccoli require pollination from bees.

“Honey bees are certainly important for the Salinas Valley in that there’s a lot of vegetable seed crops that require bees,” said Brandi. “Farmers that were not flooded and were able to farm somewhat normally there will be bees in their fields very soon if not already.”

With more losses of bees this winter than ideal, beekeepers are prioritizing bee health.

Experts warn homeowners or everyday gardeners to be mindful of what pesticides they are putting on their plants to ensure they are safe for bees.

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