South West residents have growing concern as their usually buzzing gardens have turned silent

Gardens often buzzing with activity were eerily silent at the start of spring this year, causing some avid gardeners to become concerned about the local bee population.

Residents in Australind and Bunbury said they were worried about the health of local beehives as their gardens thick with flowers — and usually packed with bees — were silent since the start of spring with experts saying the shifting seasons could be responsible.

Bunbury resident Danielle Schone said she had seen a drastic drop in the number of bees visiting her property this year, with only a tenth of the usual bees she’d expect to see visiting her garden.

“Last year there was bees everywhere, you’d see them in the air, around the bushes on all the different flowers and you could hear them buzzing,” she said.

“Last year my trees were humming, there were bees everywhere, but now I can’t hear anything.”

Ms Schone said while there were a few sparse bees about, the overwhelming decline had her concerned about the overall health of the environment.

Australiand resident Maureen Wilkes said this was the first time in 35 years she had not seen swarms of bees on her property.

“It’s been very noticeable the last couple of months,” she said

Mrs Wilkes said during the warmer months her birdbath would often be a hub for bees, but this year she hadn’t seen one.

“In the past it would be that thick with bees around the edge you could scoop them up in your hand,” she said.

“We used to have hundreds of them, just loaded with bees, but now, all of sudden, they’re just all gone.”

WA Apiarists’ Society president Adam Maskew said the group had not observed any noticeable decline in managed bee hives across the South West Region, but their disappearance was possibly a response to the changing climate.

Mr Maskew said the number of bees was often an indicator of seasonal changes.

“Bees increase their numbers in response to rising temperature and abundant nectar and pollen, typically in spring” he said.

“However, this year spring has arrived early and, importantly, there is reduced nectar flow and pollen production from the flowering plants, which are their source of food.

“This will impact on the population numbers and may explain any perceived decline in numbers.”

Mr Maskew said the numbers of registered beekeepers across the region was increasing with the WAAS not aware of any bee hive deaths in areas where mosquito control spraying is being undertaken.

Though he said the WAAS encouraged all users of insecticides to consider the impact they may have on insect pollinators.

He said using them late in the day when fewer insects were foraging could limit the impact.

“Bees, and other pollinators, are especially important for food security including the quality and quantity of foods available and plant biodiversity across the planet,” Mr Maskew said.

“For example, over 75 per cent of the world’s food crops rely on animal pollinators for yield and quality. Two-thirds of Australia’s agricultural production benefits from bee pollination.

“The contribution of honey bees to agriculture through pollination services is valued at around $14.2 billion in Australia and each year in Australia, honey and other hive products, such as wax, generate around $100 million.

“Given the importance of bees to the agriculture sector, the community should be genuinely concerned about the health of honey bees. It is especially important the community, along side beekeepers, monitor bee numbers and bee health.”

He said WA remained Australia’s last area where the varroa mite was not present, which if established can impact managed bees, feral hives and natives.

“Beekeepers should undertake bee health testing at least twice a year and report the results to the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development,” he said.