It has been noted that due to the warm winter months caused by global climate change, bees do not hibernate, they physiologically age and mass colony losses occur because of the fact that they leave the hive and start working.
Professor Dr. Nuray Şahinler, Lecturer of Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry, Uşak University, said that the winter months have been warmer in recent years due to global climate change.
Stating that bees have a very important share in increasing the yield and quality of crop production and contribute to pollination, Dr. Şahinler also said that some plants need bees in order to continue their generation.
Pointing out that migratory beekeepers change the location of their colonies by following the flora and accordingly harvest more than one honey during the year, Dr. Şahinler explained, “When we look at the route of migratory beekeepers, they are wintered on the Mediterranean coastline in the temperate climate strip. Here, honey is obtained from citrus fruits. In June, they are taken to the high plateaus of Central Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia to produce highland honey. Then they come to Muğla province around September to produce pine honey.”
“Now, depending on the air temperature and climate change, the routes that beekeepers take their colonies will also change. They will go to higher altitudes. It has been scientifically demonstrated that for every one degree of temperature, the habitats of honey bees increase by 100 metres in altitude. This shows us that it is inevitable that the routes of travelling beekeepers will change and they will carry bees to higher places,” Dr. Şahinler added…