Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 It's the precious natural nectar made entirely by one of the world's most hard-working and
00:05 crucial species - bees.
00:08 It's meticulous work to make, but at this apiary in northern France, recent temperamental
00:12 weather has hampered the bee colony's production.
00:15 "In this hive we can see the worker bees and the queen right there.
00:20 She's recognisable as she's a lot bigger than the others.
00:23 Unfortunately they're not making a lot of nectar.
00:26 Normally when I shake the frame we can see it fall."
00:30 Over at the honey house where the nectar is processed, the spring harvest is underwhelming.
00:35 This year quantities are low - almost a third of what it used to be.
00:38 "We've had too much water and too low temperatures which doesn't necessarily mean good pollination
00:44 or that the bees can forage in optimal conditions."
00:47 Due to climate change, beekeepers are being forced to adapt.
00:51 To ensure the longevity of their apiaries, many are now opting for bee breeding to rear
00:56 the queen bees themselves.
00:57 "It's essential to ensure the renewal of our hives.
01:01 A way of dealing with the difficulties that our bees have encountered is to breed them."
01:07 Due to human activity, scientists are worried about the decline in pollinator populations,
01:11 with present bee species extinction rates now 100 to 1,000 times higher than before.
01:17 According to the UN, nearly 90% of global wild flowering plant species depend on animal
01:22 pollination, as well as over 75% of the world's food crops.
01:27 In 2021, the EU was the second largest honey producer in the world after China, making
01:33 up 13% of global production.
01:35 (audience laughing)