Wet, cold summer saw honey yields from hives fall by almost three-quarters, the British Beekeepers Association saysRain and cold weather this summer saw honey yields from hives fall by almost three-quarters, the
British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) said today.
The average crop per hive was down 72% compared to 2011, with just 3.6kg (8lb) of honey produced compared to an annual average of 30lb (13.6kg), the annual honey survey by the BBKA revealed.
The survey of 2,712 beekeepers in England, Northern Ireland and Wales found that 88% said this summer's bad weather caused the fall in honey yields.
The cold, wet conditions forced the BBKA to issue a midsummer warning to feed colonies if necessary to avoid starvation.
But in London, which recorded the worst results with just 2.5kg (5.6lb) of honey harvested on average, beekeeping experts said that in addition to the bad weather there was a lack of food for bees in the city.
