In parts of Makueni, Kitui and Kajiado Counties where BeeLove Apiaries operates, bees are absconding from hives at an alarming rate. In 2022, nearly 95% of colonies were lost as bees migrated. The farmers within the BeeLove network say that bees started leaving when the rains failed.
Worst Drought in Living Memory
With failed rains, crops dry up and both nectar and water sources became scarce. The year 2022 was particularly brutal in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya, experiencing what has been described as one of the worst droughts in living memory.
One feature of climate change in ASALs is the long droughts exemplified by scarcer water resources, high temperatures and drying vegetation. Beekeeping is propped up as an economic activity for these regions, but bees too are feeling the effects.
Dwindling Bee Populations
Typically, bees travel up to six kilometres in search of water and nectar/pollen sources. When the food is not available within that distance, bees must decide whether to spend energy going further or move the colony closer to the water/food source. Moving closer is the more rational choice for them.
Jonesmus Mutua, the founder of BeeLove has been tracking bee migration and population dynamics for several years now. He observes that bee populations have been reducing regionally. He adds that pests such as ants might contribute to absconding. However, in the case of these counties, scarcity of water and food sources due to long drought periods are the most likely causes.
Farming for Bees
The ongoing March-May rainy/swarming season this year will help alleviate the situation. Water and nectar/pollen sources are coming back. However, the dry season from June is beckoning when these vital bee supplies are likely to diminish again. Thus, in preparation, Jonesmus and BeeLove Apiaries are supplying sunflower seeds to beekeepers.
Sunflower plants are good sources of food supplies for bees. They are drought tolerant and do well under a range of environmental conditions including the ASALs. Additionally, they have multiple uses. For example, stems and seeds can be used to feed domestic animals. By the time the dry season is here, the sunflowers will be blooming and the bees will have food closer home.
It is a new era in beekeeping. Cultivating nectar/pollen sources closer to the apiaries helps to reduce the distance traveled in search of food, migrations and absconding of hives. It also enhances bee health and boosts the population. In farmer training sessions, BeeLove emphasizes other practices to discourage absconding during dry seasons. For example, good harvest practices such as leaving enough honey for the bees to consume during the dry season. Supplying water sources closer to the hives is also recommended. Supplementary feeding is useful too if within a farmer’s financial reach.
Heat Stress and Hive Ventilation
Besides nectar/pollen and water scarcity, high temperatures during droughts could be driving bees away from hives in the ASALs. Bees regulate the temperature within the hives by flapping their wings to fan it or spewing water among themselves. The hive temperature has to be maintained within a narrow range for the colony to reproduce and preserve the brood.
Is it possible that dry season temperatures in ASALs are getting too hot for some colonies to adequately regulate heat in the hives? One farmer in Makueni County thinks so.
As an example of how farmer-led research can be conducted at the farm level, the farmer hopes to improve hive air flow, reduce heat stress and hopefully put a stop to absconding.
We talk about his hypothesis, hives’ design and how BeeLove Apiaries is supporting this scientific inquiry in the next article. Don’t miss it.