FRANKFORD, Del. - Farmers and beekeepers across Delmarva have experienced a difficult stretch of summer weather. Still, months of extreme heat and drought have already taken a toll on honey production and bee colonies.
Weeks of high temperatures and dry conditions left many flowers with little or no nectar, reducing the food sources honeybees rely on to produce honey.
While recent thunderstorms have brought much-needed rainfall and helped blooms recover, one beekeeper says the season's losses cannot be fully reversed.
Patrick Carey, owner of Carey Apiary and Farm, says his bees are finally finding enough nectar to resume normal honey production after struggling through the driest part of the summer.
"But in that extreme heat about two weeks ago, I did lose three colonies in one of the smaller boxes," Carey says. "They overheated, so that was a bit of a bummer. So it has been a rough summer, for sure."
For Carey, the health of his bees is directly tied to his livelihood. Honey sales support his family, making the well-being of each colony critical.
"The honey is how I put food on the table," Carey says. "These bees work hard for me, and being a steward for the bees is certainly important. If they die, I can't make any money. I'm not just here to take all the honey."
Although recent rainfall has improved foraging conditions, Carey said beekeepers are now looking ahead to another potential challenge. He said bees often respond to changing environmental conditions and have already begun displaying behaviors that could signal a difficult winter ahead.
With summer winding down, Carey hopes favorable weather continues long enough for colonies to rebuild their strength before colder temperatures arrive.
