It used to be easy to keep bees for honey but now beekeepers need to be aware of air quality. Researchers at the University of Virginia have discovered another threat to bees: air pollution. Common air pollution negatively affects flower fragrance, making it harder for bees to find flowers. This can result in fewer visits to flowers and less collected nectar. In clean air scent molecules from flowers can travel up to 4,000 feet. With polluted air, scent molecules travel only 650 feet. This explains why summers with lots of forest fires can also be detrimental to keeping bees.
Growing Home: Bees & Air Pollution
