The matter in summary: Honey production in many areas is threatened due to bad weather, with a decrease of up to 50 per cent compared to last year. The bees have been inside because of the rain and cold, which has caused them to eat up the honey they have collected. After a dry and hot May that promised a good year for honey production, persistent rain has led to a disappointing season. Some beekeepers fear they will lose their main income and have to feed the bees to prevent them from starving. There are large local variations in honey production across the country, and it is too early to say what the consequences will be. For the production of heather honey to be good, good weather is needed for several weeks to come, with sun and heat. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It is much worse than I had hoped. It is a disappointing honey season, says Henrik Rosenvold in Skien. It looked set to be a peak year for a long time. May was hot and dry, and lots of bees were out collecting nectar. But then the rain came, and it didn’t stop. – The bees sat inside, because it was cold outside and there was nothing to do. Then they ate up the honey they had collected. The bees need sun and warmth to go out and collect nectar. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / NRKB Bees need sun and warmth to go out and collect nectar. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / news Decrease of up to 50 per cent Rosenvold has 50 beehives with between 10,000 and 60,000 bees in each. For him, it’s a great hobby that has turned into a full-time job, and in two weeks this year’s summer honey will arrive. Henrik Rosenvold has been working with bees since 2016 and now has over 50 beehives in Skien. He says the bees are wonderful little creatures that are all-consuming at times. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / NRKHenrik Rosenvold has been working with bees since 2016 and now has over 50 hives in Skien. He says the bees are wonderful little creatures that are all-consuming at times. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / news But the hope for around 1.3 tonnes of honey will probably only end up with 300 kilos. He estimates a decrease of between 30 and 50 per cent from last year. “Mostly everyone has a much lower production, even if not everyone has harvested the honey yet,” says Rosenvold, who is also head of the Skien Beekeepers Association with 50 members. – Have to feed the bees so they don’t starve Last year was also a bad honey year. The drought in early summer led to a major failure in the production of heather honey. Last autumn, the Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture received 116 applications for support for crop failure, according to NTB. Norway’s Beekeeping Association does not expect similar numbers this year. – It was a year with much worse weather in southern Norway with cold May, drought in June and then floods in August. The heather cover fell away completely for many, says general secretary Katrine Røed Meberg. Now that the first round of this year’s honey is about to be collected, Henrik Rosenvold fears that someone will lose their main income. – It amounts to quite a few thousands and probably millions of kroner for some. It is critical for many who make a living from it. Some beekeepers in Telemark have to feed the bees so that they do not starve to death. Henrik Rosenvold says the failure in the production of summer honey is so great that it is critical for many who live on this income. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / NRKHenrik Rosenvold says the failure in the production of summer honey is so great that it is critical for many who live on it the income. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / news Less honey in parts of the country – It is too early to say whether it will be a bad honey year, says Katrine Røed Meberg, secretary general of Norway’s Beekeepers Association. The beekeepers association does not yet have a complete overview of the situation for honey producers, but where there has been a lot of rain, the production of honey may have weakened. Katrine Røed Meberg of Norway’s Beekeepers Association says it is a big risk to run production that is vulnerable to climate and weather. Photo: Astrid Bjerke Lund Katrine Røed Meberg of Norway’s Beekeepers Association says there is a big risk to run production that is vulnerable to climate and weather. Photo: Astrid Bjerke Lund – In parts of the country we see that there is less honey due to the rainy weather, but it is too early to say anything about the consequences for the whole country and the individual. There are large local variations in the country. In Eastern Norway it has rained a lot, while in Troms there has been a lot of fine weather and a lot of honey is reported. Relying on the heather honey Now Henrik Rosenvold and many other beekeepers are betting on the bees’ second big work session this summer. But for the production of heather honey to be good, good weather is needed for several weeks ahead with sun and heat. Otherwise, the bees don’t bother to exert themselves. Henrik Rosenvold says many working hours are put in with the bees, no matter how much honey you get. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / NRKHenrik Rosenvold says many working hours are put in with the bees, no matter how much honey you get. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / news – Now we hope the heather will give something and put our trust in it. – But what if the weather is not good and sunny in the future? – Then it will simply be a year of crisis and terribly little honey. All beekeepers must then feed their bees early so that the queen can continue to lay eggs so that we can have bees until next year as well. Henrik Rosenvold believes that there may be a battle for the honey if the season is bad. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / NRKHenrik Rosenvold believes there may be a battle for the honey if the season is bad. Photo: Gry Eirin Skjelbred / news Published 18.07.2024, at 17.05
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Towards a bad honey season for many producers – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
