Long-term effect of temperature on honey yield and honeybee phenology

Abstract

There is growing concern about declines in pollinator species, and more recently reservations have been expressed about mismatch in plant-pollinator synchrony as a consequence of phenological change caused by rising temperatures. Long-term changes in honeybee Apis mellifera phenology may have major consequences for agriculture, especially the pollinator market, as well as for honey production. To date, these aspects have received only modest attention. In the current study, we examine honeybee and beekeeping activity in southern Poland for the period 1965–2010, supplemented by hive yields from a beekeeper in southern UK in the same period. We show that despite negative reports on honeybee condition, and documented climate change, the studied apiary managed to show a marked increase in honey production over the 46 year study period, as did that from the UK. The proportion of the annual yield originating from the first harvest decreased during the study period and was associated with rising temperatures in summer. Honeybee spring phenology showed strong negative relationships with temperature but no overall change through time because temperatures of key early spring months had not increased significantly. In contrast, increasing yields and an increased number of harvests (and hence a later final harvest and longer season) were detected and were related to rising temperatures in late spring and in summer.

The Year of the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) with Respect to Its Physiology and Immunity: A Search for Biochemical Markers of Longevity

“…However, for instance, the shift of temperature in April 2017 compared to April 2018, where the average temperature was under 10 °C in the latter, is supposed to have an impact on colony development during the rest of the year. Similarly, almost twice as high temperature in May 2018 compared to May 2017 could impact onset of brood rearing [78,79,80] or phenology [81,82,83] of the bees in the colony.…”

Honeybee keeping constraints and future prospects

“…In this season the most of the annual floral plant species become dried or unavailable due to a shortage of moisture in the soil, while others found dormant, except the evergreen plants. In the spring season, the honeybee phenology had a strong negative relationship with temperature (Langowska et al, 2016). Similarly, in this season the flowering plants exhaustively available for foraging than the other season of the year.…”

“…Honeybee health is affected by biotic and abiotic factors that weaken a colony of honeybees. Among the abiotic factors, climate change appears is a major (Langowska et al, 2016). It caused the decline of honeybees and their synchronization activity of flowering plants (Le Conte & Navajas, 2008;Hegland et al, 2009;Lever et al, 2014).…”

“…It caused the decline of honeybees and their synchronization activity of flowering plants (Le Conte & Navajas, 2008;Hegland et al, 2009;Lever et al, 2014). Global warming due to climate change may have a substantial negative impact on the production of honey (Langowska et al, 2016). Birhan et al (2015) reported that lack of honeybee forage, shortage of rainfalls, agrochemical poisons, pests, absconds, and lack of honey storage facilities affected negatively honeybee production and productivity in Gondar of Ethiopia.…”

“…As the temperature rose beyond the optimum ranges the activities of honeybee decreased, flowering plants phenologically varied to collect pollen and nectar or mismatch or of asynchrony and led to outputs. Langowska et al (2016) showed that the yield of honey decreased in the summer season as the temperature increased in the United Kingdom. In this season the most of the annual floral plant species become dried or unavailable due to a shortage of moisture in the soil, while others found dormant, except the evergreen plants.…”