'Honey bees are getting whacked:' Weather conditions hurt the struggling honey bee populations



YORK COUNTY, Pa. -- You've probably heard by now that honey bees populations nationwide have declined over the last several years. There are many contributing factors to the drop.

"When we have infestations of mites, we have viruses out there, rampant use of chemicals in the environment, the honey bees are getting whacked," said Dr. John Wallace, Professor of Biology at Millersville University.

The mites act as a parasite, attacking the bees, their larvae, and their eggs.
That and a poor combination of weather since last fall, has added insult to injury, particularly in Central PA.

"This season has bee pretty tough on the bees," said beekeeper Jesse Hollinger.

Dr. Wallace had four hives going into the winter season. He says the lingering warmth after the last fall's growing season set them up for trouble during the winter.

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