Tarash Representative:
Sirajganj: Bees have been dying in the severe cold in Chalanbil of Sirajganj for the past three days. This has put honey farmers in trouble. Md. Zahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Tarash Upazila Agricultural Meteorological Observatory, said that the average temperature in the Chalanbil area at 12 noon yesterday was 11 degrees Celsius. Besides, the humidity of the air at that time was 95 percent.
Beekeepers say that the temperature tolerance of adult bees ranges from 10 to 50 degrees. The cold tolerance of immature bee larvae or pupae is very low. Bees strategically keep the temperature of the hive tolerable during winter. But this is changing during the summer. As a result, the temperature inside the hive or bee box has decreased. Due to this, a large number of bees are dying due to the cold.
Currently, 20-25 beekeepers from Tarash are collecting honey in Chalanbil. In addition, there are another 3 to 350 beekeepers from Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna, Jessore, Kushtia and other southwestern regions in Chalanbil.
Locals said that the bitter cold has been felt for three consecutive days with the cold wind from the north. Dubal Das, a farmer who came to collect honey in the field in Kundail village of Tarash, said that bees do not come out of the hives or boxes during winter. Even then, most of the ones that do come out are not able to survive. Aminul Islam, a farmer who came to collect honey from Satkhira, said that after collecting honey from 200 to 400 hives, 100 to 150 bees are dying.
Tarash Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdullah Al Mamun said, "Honey cannot be collected by cutting down trees or box hives during severe winters. This will reduce the mortality rate of bees."
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