Deadly US Heat Wave Killing Honeybees, Threatening Food Production in Arizona

Honeybees employ water and wing-flapping to maintain the hive's temperature between 92 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. However, with the scorching heat consuming the US and much of the world, these efforts have limitations, leading to the sight of dead bees around hives.

As Arizona battles an unprecedented and deadly heat wave, experts are growing increasingly concerned about the alarming rise in dead honeybees - a crucial species for our ecosystem, particularly in food production.

"We are seeing dead bees around hives... That is because of the heat – it’s too hot in the hives and bees won’t let[other bees] back in," Shaku Nair, an entomologist with the University of Arizona, told US media.

With temperatures soaring to record-breaking levels, beekeepers and entomologists in Arizona are sounding the alarm. The extreme heat, which exceeded 113 degrees Fahrenheit for several days, is taking a heavy toll on honeybee colonies. The bees' ability to forage and cool their hives is compromised, leading to an increasing number of casualties.

A preliminary analysis of the seasonal managed honey bee colony loss rates in the United States across years (A), and by types of operations (B-D). The loss rate is not a rate of population decline, but should be interpreted as a mortality rate for honey bee colonies.

© Nathalie Steinhauer, et al.

Beekeeper Cricket Aldridge, who is now dedicated to saving bees from the scorching heat, described how "bees' homes are being melted," and bee colonies are attacking each other over food scarcity. As beehives rely on evaporation for cooling, the prolonged and intense heat wave causes them to melt.

The situation is dire as honeybees are vital pollinators for crops like melons, citrus fruits, zucchini, coffee and chocolate. The prolonged heat wave has caused wilting flowers and the death of essential food sources like saguaro cactuses, leaving bees with limited options for foraging.

Nair warns the impacts of the heat wave on honeybees could be felt for years to come. Last year, the US witnessed a 48% loss in managed honeybee colonies due to various threats to their habitat and nutrition.

Experts offer a lifeline for these crucial pollinators. They urge people in regions experiencing extreme heat to provide water for bees and encourage the growth of native plant species, which can offer much-needed support to the struggling honeybee populations.