A bee crisis which has wiped out almost 60 percent of hives in Bermuda is expected to worsen over the winter, the House of Assembly was told this morning.

Bees have been affected by the varroa mite as well as a severe ant invasion into hives and the effects of Hurricane Igor — affecting crops on the Island.

This morning Minister of Public Works Derrick Burgess told the House that the number of bee hives in Bermuda had halved from 365 two years ago.

He said: “If immediate action isn’t taken to preserve the remaining hives and to increase the number overall, thereby returning the Island to 2008 levels, beekeepers will become overwhelmed with the amount of hive die-offs and the bee population could dwindle to a total of 18 hives as predicted by a visiting bee scientist.

“In those circumstances there would be no local honey produced and local farmers would see a drastic reduction in yields of crops requiring pollination by bees.

“Local food security would be at risk as vegetable harvests would be a fraction of the yields gathered before the mite introduction. Local flora and fauna would dramatically change with the reduction of pollinators available. Finally, the Island would be required to import far more fresh fruit and vegetables than is currently the case.”

Crops affected include zucchini, pumpkin, squash, cucumbers, eggplant and and strawberries. Fruits such as loquats, avocadoes, peaches, citrus, coconut, pawpaw as well as the native baygrape and palm species.

The Ministry is conducting a series of measures to try and help the bee population including:

* Safeguard a ferel bee colony on Nonsuch Island to allow the reintroduction of bees on the mainland

* Working with farmers to switch crops

* Conducting a public awareness campaign

Mr. Burgess added: “The Department of Conservation Services will also request funding to rear varroa resistant breeder queens to kick-start the growth in the population of bees.”