After four consecutive dry winters, beekeepers in Western Australia are warning of diminished hives and biodiversity loss as fewer flowers bloom and pollen dries up.
The native bushland on Western Australia's central coast would normally be bursting with springtime blooms but after four years of increasingly dry winters, only a handful of plants are starting to bud.
On the state's southernmost coastline, 600 kilometres south of Yanchep, retired farmer Graham Tonkin's bees have also been struggling.When the grain and sheep farmer moved to the coastal town of Hopetoun, he left the running of the family farm to his son but the bees came with him.ABC News: Andrew ChoundingHowever, with the dry weather impacting even cooler climates, Mr Tonkin has been forced to feed his bees to keep them alive.
"The queen doesn't lay as many eggs and so they go down in smaller hives and then they'll evacuate the hive to go away to look for more honey."Dry flowering phenomenon "There's been a lot of flowering … but it's been dry flowering, there's actually been no nectar or pollen," Dr Barbour said.Photo shows A European honey bee squeezing its head into a flower for pollen.
"The prediction is that this year might be kind of okay with flowering thereafter is going to be an absolute collapse.Dr Barbour says honey production in Western Australia has declined.The impact has already been noticed in one of the state's most celebrated and prolific wide-flower regions. " is only active during that time when it's in flower at the bottom of the Ravensthorpe Range.The Ravensthorpe shaggy spine bee lives on one flowering eucalypt for its whole life cycle.Work is underway to protect bee populations which could provide a solution to the pollen shortage.
Honey Production Biodiversity Loss Sustainable Farming Pollen Pollinators Research Horticulture Bees Shaggy Spine Bee Native Flowers
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Parts of Western Australia and South Australia heading for five-day soakingAustralia&x27;s weather is split between heavy rain in the west and severe cold in the east.
Read more »
Richmond premiership hero Liam Baker confirms desire to move home to Western Australia7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Read more »
Bureau of Meteorology issues severe weather warnings for Western Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Read more »
Birth rates plummeting in regional and remote Western AustraliaSince 2019, birth rates have slumped by eight per cent across regional and remote WA communities. Access to childcare, housing and education are seen as potential drivers.
Read more »
Wild weather brings record-breaking rainfall, flooding across Western Australia's South WestBusselton, Mandurah, and a number of other towns broke rainfall records as a cold front passed across the state's south.
Read more »
Five boats intercepted by border protection officials at Kuri Bay in Western Australia's remote northAustralian authorities have responded after local tour guides and traditional owners spotted five boats moored at Kuri Bay in far northern WA.
Read more »