The warming of our planet has had its effect on many different sectors of life. Now, a study is showing that climate changes which have caused earlier and longer flowering seasons have had a negative effect on one of the most important species in our ecosystem – bees.
The study looked at climate data from the previous eight years, gathered by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado. Due to warmer temperatures, snowmelt occurred earlier and there was less snow falling, causing flowers to bloom earlier. This results in fewer flowers blooming, and less food for the bees. The data also showed that when flowering seasons were shorter, the bee population was higher. As the atmosphere continues to warm, will this mean even longer flowering seasons? And even fewer bees?
