Can refrigerated bee banks save climate-affected bee populations? Queen bees held in refrigerated containers may have a better shot at surviving hot summers, a new study in the Journal of Apicultural Research picked up by Bloomberg found. Washington University researchers stored queen bees in temperature-controlled containers — a practice referred to as “queen banking” — and left a group of others outdoors in California for six weeks where summer temperatures reach 42°C. The study found that “queen banks” are 16% more likely to survive than bees left outdoors, referencing a study published in Journal of Apicultural Research.

Bee populations are declining at an unprecedented rate globally: Commercial beekeepers in the US have recorded bee colony losses averaging 30% each winter since 2006, up from historical rates ranging between 10-15%, according to research out of the University of Ohio. Bee species have dropped 25% between 2006-2015 globally compared to population sizes recorded before 1990 partly owing to climate-driven shifts in weather patterns, according to research. Closer to home, climate change has been weighing on Egypt’s honey industry, with industry players attributing the decline of honey production to climate-induced shifts in weather delaying harvest seasons, which is ultimately reducing bee population sizes.

Why should we care? Some 3%-5% of fruit, vegetable, and nut production is lost due to inadequate pollination, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives, which has led to an estimated 427k excess deaths a year from lost healthy food consumption and associated diseases. We also rely on bee venom for treatments for diseases and conditions like multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

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