As if by magic or some otherworldly force, the weather forecast for Cornwall changed from sun all week to rain all week over night. Considering the weather over the last three years, this is not actually very surprising. In fact, it has rained every week since the beginning of July, and this summer rain is becoming something of a habit down here.
So it's raining, what does that actually mean for a beekeepers and their bees? Rain, as for all parts of nature can be good and bad. For Bees, a shower in spring irrigates the land, and if followed by sun, means a good flowering season. Rain also means fresh water to drink. However, if it rains during the flowering season, for any long period of time, this can really damage a colonies chance for survival. For example- If you have rain during July, the month in which bees are collecting as much food stores as they can for winter, then the bees cannot fly. If they cannot collect this food, then the bees will go into winter with very little supplies, or have to rely on Ivy as their food source. Ivy honey sets rock solid, thus not being ideal food for the bees.
On the beekeepers side, if it rains during the flowering season and the bees don't fly, then they will eat their honey stores. Even a week of rain in August can cost a beekeeper thousands of pounds in value of honey, and also force the beekeeper to start feeding the bees earlier; another cost. Beekeeping is a precarious livelihood.
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