NC facing honeybee shortage

ROCKY POINT — Much of the food we eat is a direct result of honeybee pollination. But North Carolina faces a honeybee shortage. This means more and more farmers’ crops are suffering.

A local beekeeper is trying to raise awareness about raising bees. He says the more people who take up beekeeping as a hobby, the better off we all will be.

Barry Harris says there are a couple hundred beekeepers in New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties. He says over the past five years farmers have been about 10,000 bees short of what they need to receive crop insurance.

Farmers began importing foreign bees to meet pollination requirements. Bees are vanishing across the country and there are several possible reasons: pesticides, not enough food, viruses and something Harris treats his bees for — mites.

You may not realize just how much you depend on these vanishing creatures.

Harris said, “People don’t realize one third of every mouthful of food they eat, every third mouthful comes directly from bee pollination.”

Harris says local vegetable and berry farmers are the ones who see the biggest effect from the lack of bee pollination.

Harris is part of a new Cape Fear beekeepers club that will be offering beekeepers schools on Saturdays starting in a few weeks.

Everyone is welcome, even those with no beekeeping experience. Harris says even one more person who raises bees will alleviate this national shortage.

For more info about the Cape Fear Area Beekeepers Club and Saturday Morning Beekeepers’ School contact Barry Harris at 910-352-7868.