Wet weather poses threat to honeybees, but it's not all bad. Here's why.
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - All this wet weather is forcing honey bees to stay inside their hives. But depending on where those hives are located, they can be vulnerable to flooding.
Louis Zurlo, interim president for Sacramento Area's Beekeeping Association, says bees are highly adaptable and "are in tune with the environment they live in."
He says bees can sense rain storms coming based on atmospheric pressure. However, where beekeepers put their hives may be the biggest issue.
"Where we have been having problems, will be where beekeepers will have their hives literally on the ground."
He says several area beekeepers have already lost their hives to flooding within the past few weeks.
"Bees can handle a tremendous range of weather, but they can't handle wet weather," Zurlo said.
Moisture inside a hive is detrimental. Since bees won't fly in the rain. Food supply is also a factor in their survival.
"If they do not have enough stored, they will pretty much starve," Zurlo said.
However, Zurlo says the rain can also be a good thing. If hives survive the wet weather, experts are expecting an above-average amount of food for bees this spring.
"The amount of rain we have had, we are going to have a massive bloom of wildflowers and residential horticulture. There's going to be a plethora of food. This is going to be their Thanksgiving in a big big way," Zurlo said.
Hives are expected to thrive and grow. They may even become more active and swarm to new locations more frequently. Swarms can be alarming to some, but it means the bee population is healthy.
"We've collected swarms from down chimneys, attics and had to cut open walls. So hopefully, they swarm in your backyard," he said.
If that happens, residents are encouraged to contact the Sacramento Area Beekeepers Association. To learn more about reporting a swarm, click here.