There’s sweet news this season with word from local beekeepers that they’ve had a good honey harvest.The occurrence took them by surprise as local bees plagued by a tiny mite were dying by the thousands.It started back in 2009 when beekeepers lost many of their hives and it was discovered the varroa mite was the reason.Government agricultural officer Tommy Sinclair estimated the crash claimed about 60 to 75 percent of bees.Beekeeper Randolph Furbert has the largest number of hives. When he spoke with Body & Soul in November 2010, the deaths had been happening so fast and furiously he feared the mite would kill all the Island’s bees.Such an occurrence would not just mean the end of local honey. It would have also had a major impact on agriculture, as bees are pollinators.Pollination is integral to getting plants to bear fruit. Farmers were very concerned about the bee die-off.Some had significantly less produce because of the problem.Mr Sinclair revealed in 2010 that one farmer reported his yield of pumpkin dwindled from 50 truckloads down to only two, because of the lack of bees.Fully aware of the agricultural importance of bees, a few beekeepers in the beginning tried treating their hives chemically. They saw this as a desperate move and when it didn’t work they quickly abandoned it.Beekeepers and Government sought answers to the problem. Adamant that they were not going to use anymore chemical treatments, the beekeepers essentially left their bees alone and hoped for the best.And their hopes have materialised. The October honey harvest was a good one.“As I speak it is very encouraging,” said Mr Furbert. “ The bees made a good comeback and in our late fall harvest we got a good crop of honey from them.”He and Mr Sinclair said the good results were seen Islandwide by all beekeepers.“The bees are doing well and have come back,” said Mr Furbert.Mr Sinclair said he estimates the numbers have climbed up to as much as 75 percent of what they used to be.“We don’t know why the bees came back,” said Mr Sinclair. “We know we have the mite. Do we have the viruses connected with the mite? It could be that they are able to cope with the mite but not the viruses associated with the mite.”A definitive answer is not expected anytime soon, as testing is needed to reveal the answers.The type of testing required is not available on Island and having it conducted overseas presents complex challenges.For starters, most countries have stringent regulations with importing animal and plant matter especially where a pest is suspected.Mr Sinclair said samples of dead Bermuda bees were sent to an overseas bee lab over a year ago.“We’re still waiting for those results but we’re not getting anywhere with them [the bee lab]. We may have to send them samples again,” he added.In the meantime beekeepers are doing everything to help keep their bees healthy and happy. Body & Soul caught up with Mr Furbert as he was winterising his hives.The process involved giving the bees less space so that they stay warm.A section of the hive called the super, was removed and the bees blown out of it with a mechanical blower (see www.royalgazette.com for a video).Climate and weather conditions have a large impact on bees. According to Mr Furbert high winds and hurricanes can decimate them.Droughts and too much rain also pose problems for them.Mr Sinclair agreed and said the bees are more vulnerable in the winter.But he also revealed there were concerns this spring. He said although bee numbers were up, fears were that the harvests would be lacklustre.“We were a little worried because the first flow in June/July wasn’t good at all,” he said. “Then the rains came at just the right time and the Fiddlewood and Mexican [Brazilian] pepper had a really good bloom.”The Mexican pepper flower is the main nectar source of local bees.According to Mr Sinclair its successful bloom is one of the main reasons the October honey harvest saw high yields.“Beekeepers have been pleasantly surprised and after two years of no harvest it’s been a nice treat to see the bees back,” said Mr Sinclair.“Government is cautiously optimistic that this continues.”And although he knows tests are needed to determine the health of our bees he said it’s possible that they’ve bolstered their resilience to the mite and problems that plagued them for two years.“Now we have a long winter to go through. The bees are more prone to attacks by the mite and the hive is under more pressure over the winter,” he said.“If they come through the winter, the outlook will get even better.”