Putnam County Agent Wayne Key said the insects serve as a primary pollinator for a wide variety of commercial crops and residential gardens throughout the area. Key said approximately 90 percent of the food people eat daily requires natural pollination by insects to produce fruit.
“Mother nature and God’s created things,” Key said, “And the fact that we have to have these bees work in these plants to provide pollination which then produces the fruit whatever it is whether it’s soybeans in a large field, whether it’s squash in your garden. For that plant to be reproductive and to produce a fruit it has to be pollinated.”
Key said local colonies face significant stress from environmental factors and parasitic threats. He said Varroa mites are particularly destructive because they carry viral diseases that weaken hives.
“These stresses for example cause problems or colony decline and even the fact that they would no longer be substantial enough to maintain a colony life,” Key said.
Key said extreme weather patterns also impact the internal stability of bee colonies. He said beekeepers often paint hives white to prevent excessive heat buildup during the summer months.
“Heat right now causes those hives’ internal temperatures to really really ramp up,” Key said. “I’ve seen a prediction of some really cold stuff for the south this fall and winter when it comes to heavy moisture, ice, things like that snowfall, cold temperatures can cause a problem.”
Key said the shift toward monoculture farming and landscaping creates nutritional deficiencies for bees. He said planting a single type of crop or flower across a large area limits the nectar sources available to the insects.
“When they’re in stress from poor nutrition that can cause loss of a hive for example as well,” Key said. “And immune resistance for example in some of these particular things like I mentioned the Varroa mites and some of these parasitic creatures that can cause some problems with associated viral weaknesses and those weaken hives.”
Key said homeowners can support local populations by diversifying their landscaping with various blooming shrubs and bulb plants. He said residents should choose organic pesticides and fungicides when treating vegetable gardens to ensure insect safety.
“If we can do that early in the morning or late in the evening. Before work, after work kind of thing when they’re not as active, weather’s cooler then they don’t get out till it really warms up middle of the day then they’re out buzzing around and they’re they’re really trying to capture as much nectar as they can for honey production,” Key said. “That’s a good time to be spraying those things as well as a product that’s environmentally safe for not only us and our kids and the dogs and the pets and the bees and the butterflies and everything.”
Key said the UT Extension office provides research-based publications and training programs for residents interested in hive management. He said the agency hosts an annual master beekeeping course that includes hands-on experience at local apiaries.
“Very intensive course on everything from nutrition, hive management, diseases, insect, everything from the A to Z when it comes to bees,” Key said.
Key said the introductory two-day class is typically held during the summer months.
