Italian beekeepers are sounding the alarm: it is not the unpopular wasps, but rather the bumblebees, considered more comfortable, that are causing problems for the bee population.
The Italian beekeeping sector is threatened by aggressive bumblebees, which are also on the rise due to climate change and the resulting changes in the animals’ habitat. Riccardo Terriaca, spokesman for Italian beekeepers, complained that honey production, especially in central and southern Italy, was threatened by bumblebees, but also by wasps.
Bees are attacked in flight
“The bees are attacked by the bumblebees in flight and tend to fly less as a self-defense response, reducing foraging activity and the supply of nutrients to the family in the hive, which is then weakened,” Terriaca points out, according to media sources. .
“In extreme cases, bumblebees enter the nests, take over the hive and take possession of it,” Terriaca explains. The number of beehives attacked is increasing. Italian beekeepers are currently powerless in the face of this problem.
“Selective control methods needed”
“We ask for the help of research and institutions to find sustainable and selective control methods. “We therefore need means that can attack the bumblebees without harming the bees,” says Terriaca.
In the first four months of 2024, Italy’s imports of honey from abroad increased by 11 percent, with substandard goods bought at bargain prices and then sold as local honey. In Italy, according to the Coldiretti agricultural association, about half a kilo of honey is consumed per person per year, which is below the European average of 600 grams.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
