In agriculture, beekeeping plays a fundamental role in the farmer's daily life. Little is said about the influence of bees in relation to plant pollination. Several species, including Apis mellifera, are responsible for transferring pollen and favoring the development of new agricultural crops. When there is efficient pollination there is a significant increase in the quality of fruits and seeds and, consequently, an increase in productivity. According to the Thematic Report on Pollination, Pollinators and Food Production in Brazil, released in 2018, it is estimated that this pollination caused by bees contributes 43 billion reais to the agricultural economy. In addition to the process of favoring fruits and seeds, bees are also responsible for ensuring and maintaining biodiversity and ecological cycles.
The 2023/2024 harvest was marked by the action of the El Niño phenomenon, which is characterized by anomalous warming (above average temperatures) of surface waters in the Equatorial Pacific. With the onset of this phenomenon, the atmospheric circulation pattern in South America changes, causing significant changes in the behavior of the climate, affecting winds, temperatures and precipitation globally.
Countries such as India, Thailand, Australia and Brazil are impacted by El Niño in different ways. In India, the phenomenon could cause a reduction in monsoon rains, affecting agriculture and water supplies. In Thailand, El Niño can lead to severe droughts and lack of water for irrigation. In Australia, the phenomenon is often associated with heat waves and forest fires due to decreased rainfall. In Brazil, the impacts vary by region: in the Central-West and Southeast, there is irregular rainfall and an increase in temperature during the rainy season; in the Northeast region, there is a significant decrease in rainfall, leading to severe drought conditions and a reduction in the availability of nectar and pollen in crops; in the North region, the consequences of El Niño may include changes in rainfall and temperature patterns, especially affecting the Amazon and its biodiversity; and in the South region, there is an increase in rainfall. These situations compromise not only the regularity and predictability of harvests, but also the behavior of the hives.
As bees are animals that depend on the temperature of the environment to regulate their biological activities, they are strongly affected by climatic events. With high temperatures, bees end up suffering thermal stress, which reduces their activities in general, such as foraging in flowers, which ends up influencing their pollination capacity, and even the health of the species.
As previously mentioned, bees depend on the ambient temperature to regulate their biological activities, and, in cases of excessive heat, the workers, instead of going out to collect nectar and pollen, go in search of sources of fresh water to take to the hive. Inside the hive, a group of workers flap their wings in an orderly manner to form a continuous flow of air, and a few droplets of water are dropped to help balance the temperature and humidity inside the nest. In cases where there are no water sources nearby, the hive may collapse.
These events can make hives more fragile, also providing opportunities for the spread of pests and diseases among bees.
On the other hand, the La Niña phenomenon has characteristics almost opposite to those of El Niño, being characterized by the cooling of the surface waters of the Equatorial Pacific. In Brazil, the most classic impacts during the summer include increased rainfall in the main corn and soy producing areas, such as the Central-West regions (especially in the states of Mato Grosso and Goiás), Southeast (particularly in Minas Gerais), South (in the states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul) and parts of the North (mainly in Rondônia). These conditions can favor the development of crops in these important agricultural areas, however, they can be characterized as well above average in some regions, causing the flooding of plantations and even the hives themselves in some isolated cases. During the rainy season, bees do not leave their hives and reduce their activities related to pollination, which can affect both the agricultural harvest (in cultivars that benefit from the presence of bees) and the bee harvest.
More intense rains for longer periods affect agricultural and beekeeping harvests, as the connection between the two is inevitable. While more than 1/3 of global food production is made possible through pollination services, the production of honey and other bee derivatives are also the result of this relationship. Therefore, during long periods of rain, when bees are unable to reach the flowers, a decrease in both harvests is expected.
With the installation of the La Niña phenomenon and the increase in rainfall in the Northeast and part of the Central-West and Southeast regions, there is greater stress on the hives and an increase in the possibility of the occurrence of diseases and pests, such as the Varroa mite, the microsporidium Nosema apis and the hive beetle (Aethina thumida).
In the second half of 2024 there is a high probability of the La Niña phenomenon occurring. Therefore, producers and beekeepers must be aware of the possibility of above-average rainfall in areas of the Northeast Region and part of the Center-West and Southeast of the country. Intense and prolonged rains favor diseases in hives and negatively impact pollination activities. For areas in the Brazilian South region, a classic impact of La Niña is the lack of rain, which is also an indication of attention, as plants suffer water stress and reduce the amount of pollen and nectar, as well as what occurs in the Northeast during El Niño.
The big challenge for farmers and beekeepers is to devise strategies to minimize the effect of climate change that can directly impact production. To mitigate the negative consequences on agricultural crops and bee production, more advance and assertive strategic planning is needed.
For beekeepers, it is necessary to know the region and the bee pasture, as well as the local producers where their hives will be installed. This location must offer the bees the necessary thermal comfort according to the location and avoid possible flooded areas. Keeping hives on trestles, away from the ground and using roofs is very effective against bad weather and attacks from natural enemies. Easy and quick access to the apiary is one of the management alternatives that brings agility and better logistics. Visiting the apiary periodically and checking the hives prevents drops in productivity due to lack of management, such as, for example, changing the queen, wax and supplementary feeding in cases of scarcity of natural resources.
On the other hand, for producers, keeping bees and other pollinating insects around their crops brings great benefits to productivity. This may be viable by keeping the property's forest areas well preserved and increasing these areas if possible, using natural resources rationally and making appropriate use of pesticides.
Combined with adequate management, together, farmers and beekeepers need to have assertive communication about these management events in productive areas. This communication facilitates effective coexistence between agriculture and beekeeping, avoiding accidents that could interfere with the production chain of both activities.
This approach between increasingly intense climate events and their impacts on agriculture and beekeeping are fundamental when we take into account global food security, which is directly affected and worrying when it comes to pollination.
Furthermore, the concept of adaptation is fundamental to the current climate reality. Beekeepers and farmers can adopt certain measures in an attempt to improve the adaptation process of bees to climate adversities, through an adapted and beneficial ecosystem for the development of hives.
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