Will Utah’s beehives come buzzing back after a long winter and late spring?

SALT LAKE CITY — A long winter and late spring bloom severely impacted Utah’s beehives. Now that temperatures are rising, are bees in the Beehive State going to bounce back?

Utah State University horticulture professor Sheridan Hansen says Utah’s beehives will come buzzing back. She says to fight the challenges facing their beehives, Beekeepers should make sure their hives are well-fed and tested for mites.

“You may need to test and you may need to treat right off the bat in the spring so that those bees are healthy and happy,” Hansen says.

Along with this, Hansen says adding a sugar syrup to a hive can really help.

According to Hansen, the best-case scenario is a hive that is active and foraging.

“[An active hive] does boost our production and our garden,” she says. “It also increases pollination for a lot of our fruit trees and different flowers … It’s really important for our ecosystem.”

Hansen says that beekeepers can find resources at their local club.

Devin Oldroyd contributed to this story.

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