Hurricane Ian left bees starving in Florida. Here's why they need us

Hurricane Ian decimated countless bee colonies used to pollinate the nation's agriculture. CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir speaks with Florida beekeepers still reeling from the loss. #CNN #News

[barbarajolley]

Bees are very important. We do need to help them. My late aunt and uncle had bee hives. For years, my aunt mailed us a big container with honey. Each lasted until the next one a year later.:).

[Solidus__]

I'm in Florida and my backyard is a bee heaven, it doesn't take much. Just plant some flowers that they like, and they will come.

[oscarballard]

As a 4th year Beekeeper, I can say, they're a real pleasure to have but they are very fragile.

[StephBer]

Where I live in Australia the local bee keepers ask people who have large flower filled gardens or natural bushland if they can place a colony in their yard. The land owner gets some honey out of it. I don't know if this happens everywhere but it's a way to spread the bee population out, which makes for healthier colonies. The people I know who have colonies are just happy that they're helping the bees to survive, and the honey is a bonus.

[karyherndon]

This is a great story about saving bees in Florida after Hurricane Ian. Wow! Thank you. ⭐️😇🌻

[journeymansmitty]

As a virgin Islander I could tell anyone a hurricane hitting your home is the worst thing ever but the aftermath is even much more worse🤔

[BeingKyleBusch]

Poor little bees...They're cute. ^_^

[craigmidgett]

As a beekeeper, let’s clarify some things. 1. There are feral honeybees that survive without human intervention. Managed bees do well under good management, but wild colonies can survive as well. 2. Bee survival is not dependent on almonds. Almond crops ARE dependent on commercial beekeepers. The commercial beekeeping industry would be hurt without almond pollination contracts. Bees would be fine. 3. Mann Lake is a retail supplier, not a research organization. They would like everyone to keep bees cuz it would help their revenue.

[LibbyRal]

Two simple things that everyone can do to help wild bees survive is stop pesticiding the shit out of their lawns, and give 'weeds' a space to grow in your yard. In Florida, much of the honey comes from bees who pollinate Bidens Alba - aka Spanish Needle. I've had to argue with code enforcement and explain to them that it is a crop, not a weed. Cutting it down is destroying agriculture.

[jonathannelson]

Wanna help the bees? Stop poisoning the dandelions in your yard to make it look pretty for your neighbors.

[btonemajor]

Honey in my tea is something I can't live without

[PlantNative]

Honeybees aren’t native to the US. Our native bees are becoming more rare, too. Honeybees are social and often force native bees from flowers. Please do some need on our native bees and the risk honeybees pose to them instead.

[jimmylieb]

I don’t use any pesticides or herbicides at my house for this very reason. The idiots around me spray away. Maybe they will all get cancer from roundup.

[AlanTheBeast]

The root of it all: pesticides and other chemicals.

[cherylcarlson]

meanwhile, Danville, IL won't allow bee hives in town calling them exotic animals!!!

[WobbigongSoundSystem]

This is a wake up call for human bee hive design. Notice bees set up in trees not traditionally at ground level and fuse there hives to strong branches in strong trees. Wooden boxes are easy but are they the right design?

[mandalorianactual]

To be correct, it's good for allergies IF you eat local honey. Honey local to where you live. Not if you eat just honey from different parts of the country or world.

[GTR]

What happened with the 1000 hurricanes before

[om-njhw]

I think if you take on life animals bees whatever, you take on the reasonability of that life's wellbeing, it's not just product for profit

[Hill-J]

I’m pretty sure they talk about bees in the twitter files