Bees have had a rough time in recent times. Last year in the UK we lost nearly a third of our bees, and for all sorts of reasons. Two wet summers kept them cooped up in their hives away from flowers, but added to that has been the onslaught from the varroa mite and its viruses, and pesticides are also thought to be a threat as well. So it is a relief to see bees buzzing in the sunshine this month, as an old saying goes: “A swarm in May, worth a load of hay.”
Bees enjoy warm sunshine and detest wet weather. Little if any honeybee flight activity occurs below 10C (50F), and on still, clear, sunny days some of them will fly at 12-14C (54-57F). But the bees really take off in earnest at 16C (61F) and make hectic foraging trips. Bees also have a reputation for forecasting the weather, warning of rainstorms by disappearing into their hives:
“When bees crowd into the hives again,
It’s a sure sign of storms and rain.”
And when a thunderstorm approaches the wise beekeeper will keep away from the hive as bees are said to turn aggressive.
Bees are also affected by wind — strong winds more than 24km/h (15mph) generally leave bees grounded. And they do not like heavy clouds — when the cloud covers seven tenths or more of the sky, bees begin to lose interest in foraging.
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