Last winter, 40% of beehives in the Portland urban area died, similar to losses around the country. Now, two Northeast Portland beekeepers are working to breed a queen bee that can survive harsh Portland winters.
Last winter, 40% of beehives in the Portland urban area died, similar to losses around the country.
Now, two Northeast Portland beekeepers are working to breed a queen bee that can survive harsh Portland winters.
Flowers drip with nectar and food is plentiful now. But come the cold, damp winter, these bees are in trouble. Last winter about 40 percent of hives in the urban area died, mirroring losses around the country.
Part of the problem is that beekeepers in the Northwest often import bees from warmer climates, especially California, said Dewey Caron, an affiliate professor at Oregon State University who made a name for himself in the honeybee industry at the University of Delaware. The imports produce honey prolifically at the beginning of the season, but struggle in fall and winter.
Read more at OregonLive.com.
{biztweet}portland bee{/biztweet}
