Preserving the bee population during the spring season

SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY – Experts say bees are significant contributors to the environment, from the role they play in plant life to the amount of food that’s produced for people to consume.

And local beekeepers are doing what they can to spread awareness.

Dr. Robert Whitlow, past president of the Barren County Beekeeper Association, says, “More and more people are becoming aware of the importance of bees. Obviously, we know they produce honey, which is a wonderful food, but I don’t think we emphasize enough the importance of just the fact of pollination. It’s really been studied that one-third of all the food in the United States is produced by pollination.”

With climate change and pesticide exposure, the bee population in several areas across the country has declined.

He also shares, “Almost half of all hives that started the year were not there come spring of this year. So we try to help them proliferate by dividing and creating new halves. But it’s a whole lot that’s working against them.”

Robert encourages folks to contact their extension office if they see a swarm of bees instead of spraying them with pesticide spray.