Sweets attracting flower-starved bees to schools, says expert
Ascarcity of flowers has led to an increase in bees foraging at schools, drawn by sugary remnants of snacks and drinks left behind by students, according to Lead Officer for Apiculture and Senior Agricultural Assistant in the Ministry of Agriculture, Bernard Thompson.
Several schools were forced to dismiss students recently after the insects invaded the compound, prompting emergency calls for beekeepers to intervene.
Thompson told Barbados TODAY: “What we found is that at a lot of the schools that had the problem, bees were not hiving at these schools. They are only coming in to forage. There are only about five schools so far where we found actual hives on or very close to the properties.”
He elaborated on what the scarcity of flowers means for bees: “You know that bees tend to forage—that is, look for food—on flowers. When they go to the flowers, they’re looking for pollen and nectar. Nectar is the energy source, and pollen is the protein source. All nectar is, is a sweet, sugary substance. Right now, in the absence of that, bees are going to look for this sweet substance elsewhere.”
Thompson also explained that several factors, such as heavy rainfall, have increased bee sightings in unusual places. As a result, bees have been seeking alternative nectar sources, often found at schools where children consume sweet drinks.
“Those schools now have the sweet drinks left over from the children drinking them at lunch and break. You have things like the containers from fruit snacks, bits and pieces of pastries that are sugary, and, of course, sweets and sweet wrappers. So the bees naturally gravitate towards those areas to find that sweet, sugary substance they need for their energy source,” he explained.
He revealed the findings of their investigations at the schools: “What we found is that a lot of the rubbish bins were not covered, so you will naturally find the bees gravitating to those containers. At primary schools, we also found that in classrooms where the children eat, there were sometimes spills on desks or on the floor. The bees would tend to gravitate towards the bins and into the classrooms.”
Thompson recommends that schools take preventative measures, such as covering bins containing the packaging of sweet drinks and snacks and regularly sanitising desks where children eat. He believes this can reduce the sweet smell that attracts bees.
“Either find containers with covers or find covers for the existing containers, and sanitise the classrooms, especially in primary schools, after lunch and break—the desks and the floors of the classrooms,” the agricultural officer said.
He expects that if the recommended measures are followed, there will be noticeably fewer bees at schools.
Thompson also advised the general public to remain calm when they notice bees in an area.
“When foraging, bees tend not to be concerned about you or me. The thing is, if the bees perceive that you are a threat, then yes, she is likely to sting. Now, what you want to avoid doing if bees are around is fanning at them, creating sudden loud noises, or causing vibrations because bees tend to get agitated by such actions,” Thompson advised.
He emphasised the importance of not panicking or running, especially in a wooded area, as this will create vibrations that attract bees.
Thompson was speaking to Barbados TODAY as the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), has partnered with the Argentinian government to host a three-day queen-rearing workshop.
By harnessing advanced queen-rearing techniques from Argentinian experts to improve bee genetics and boost honey production while tackling major challenges like the Varroa mite, local beekeepers are poised to transform their industry.
IICA National Programme Officer Damien Hinds said the workshop is designed to transfer knowledge from Argentina, which has been refining queen-rearing methods for over a century. The workshop is being facilitated by Dr Cecilia Pellegrini of the Universidad Nacional del Sur in Argentina and Dr Elian Tourn of the Pampero Beekeeping Cooperative. They will share their extensive expertise in queen colony selection, grafting techniques, and other critical aspects of the queen-rearing process.
Senior Agriculture Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture, Bret Taylor, is exploring the potential for producing queens endemic to Barbados.
“We need to identify the most productive, the most docile, and the cleanest queens that can help us control the Varroa mite. These initiatives are critical to boosting and building our beekeeping programme in Barbados,” he said.
Hinds believes Barbadian bees may be one of the island’s best-kept secrets, with the potential to resist Varroa mites.
“The bees would have adapted to our climate and water, so the idea is to assess their resistance to Varroa mites, which are a major pest affecting hives. There is some suspicion that our bees may be resistant, so we need to confirm that,” he explained.
Once confirmed, the aim will be to preserve and multiply these genetics, making them widely available to beekeepers across the island. According to Hinds, some bee strains are naturally stronger, more productive, and more resilient than others. Part of the workshop will help beekeepers identify bees with longevity, productivity, and disease resistance.
Argentina’s ambassador to Barbados, Ciro Ciliberto, underscored the importance of the workshop for local beekeepers: “It’s going to give you tools to produce more honey and to rear queen bees. This will improve both the quantity and quality of your production, not just honey but all its by-products. In two or three years, you could multiply your production tenfold if you follow the steps to rear queens that are suitable for Barbados.”
IICA representative Allister Glean described the workshop as a game changer for Barbados.
“We want the ability to determine production, and that starts with the quality of the queen bee. The queen drives production. Identifying the queens that are most docile or best-producing allows producers to almost manipulate the production process,” he said.
He added that strengthening capacity among farmers and industry players is essential to advancing the beekeeping sector in Barbados.
“This is not just about honey but also about pollination and food security,” he said. “Enhancing agriculture and food security is our ultimate goal.”
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