CHILE-BEES Chilean agronomists implement "plan B" for bee populations dying off from drought

Record ID: 147072

  • Title: CHILE-BEES Chilean agronomists implement "plan B" for bee populations dying off from drought
  • Date: 15th July 2015
  • Summary: SANTIAGO, CHILE (JULY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) AGRONOMIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE 'PLAN BEE' NGO, PAULA PEDREROS, SAYING: "Unfortunately, with the issue of climate change, which is a problem that has come to Chile to stay, our reserve area, which once provided enough food for the bees to remain there; this is no longer the case. And unfortunately our hives sta
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Chile
  • Country: Chile
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8EIRTYF16TWXISN8N4826H43M
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A non-profit group dedicated to protecting bee populations in Chile was forced to relocate its bee colonies due to one of the worst droughts Chile has seen in the last 150 years.
    The group, known as O.N.G. Plan Bee, was forced to find a "plan B" when its bee populations suddenly dropped due to a year-long drought.
    The lack of rain led to a shortage of flowering plants leading to a dearth of pollen for the bees to feed off of and make honey to keep their hives healthy.
    Paula Pederors, an agronomist who runs Plan Bee, said the dry conditions in Chile's V Region (5th Region) has led to severe die-offs in the bee populations the group cares for.
    The group at one point had 300 hives, but since the drought began, the number of hives has dropped to just 150.
    "It is dire (the situation). Approximately 50 percent of our hives have decreased. They were fine until last year, but the dry season was so long - about a year - and there was no food. And unfortunately, the bees didn't have food, they weren't able to develop the way they are supposed to and we had to launch our rescue operation," Pederors said.
    For the rescue operation, the NGO called on volunteers to help move the bee colonies from the drought-stricken inland area, where their reserve is located, closer to the lush coastline.
    People donated their time and vehicles to help transport the bee colonies from the reserve near Santa Maria Los Molles in the east about 130 kilometers (80 miles) west to La Cruz.
    Pederors told Reuters climate change was at least in part to blame for the dry conditions that have devastated the colonies.
    "Unfortunately, with the issue of climate change, which is a problem that has come to Chile to stay, our reserve area, which once provided enough food for the bees to remain there; this is no longer the case. And unfortunately our hives started to decline in population because there isn't any water, there isn't any food, and therefore the queen has radically reduced her posture and because of that, there aren't any workers, and the families have diminished radically," she said.
    The group hopes the colonies will bounce back and become healthy again in their new, wetter home.
    To help with this they are also collecting moisture from the air using meshed nets and water catchers to irrigate the area to help nearby plants prosper and flower to give the bees some much needed sustenance.
    "We started the campaign called 'Action for Life.' The idea behind the campaign is to join resources to implement at least 50 (water) catchers in the reserve area. The idea is so that in the surrounding areas near the colonies, native flowering will be strengthened so the colonies can survive," said an engineer who advices Plan Bee, Antonio Bodgan Vuletin.
    The volunteers celebrated once they saw the bees emerging from their colonies at their new location.
    They are hoping the queen bee, the largest seen here, can once again grow strong so her colony can flourish.
    Plan Bee is one of several groups concerned about a worldwide decline in bee populations because the tiny insects are a vital for pollinating crops and other plants.
    Many types of wild bees, which count 22,000 species worldwide, are in decline because of factors such as pesticides and habitat loss, raising uncertainty about how best to protect insects vital to human food production.
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