Moroccan beekeepers prepare to move hives to summer pastures as temperatures climb

Moroccan beekeepers are preparing to gradually relocate their hives to summer pastures as seasonal temperatures rise, taking precautionary measures to protect bee colonies and preserve honey production, industry representatives said.

Despite the warming weather, current conditions remain stable, with temperatures yet to reach levels that typically force beekeepers to move hives to cooler mountainous areas, according to Hassan Benbel, president of the National Union of Professional Beekeepers in Morocco.

“Temperatures have not yet reached a level that threatens bee colonies,” Benbel told Hespress, adding that beekeepers are continuing to search for areas with suitable floral pastures while monitoring locations that can sustain honey production. Some beekeepers have already begun relocating hives as the current honey harvest comes to an end in certain regions.

Benbel said August is usually the hottest month of the year, although the seasonal migration to summer grazing areas can begin during the final two weeks of July.

“When temperatures approach 40 degrees Celsius, beekeeping becomes more difficult because bees devote most of their activity to collecting water instead of focusing on nectar collection and honey production,” he said.

Benbel said the current beekeeping season has so far progressed under normal conditions, attributing the positive outlook to rainfall recorded across Morocco in recent months. The precipitation has improved vegetation cover and helped offset part of the losses the sector suffered during previous years of drought.

He added that many professional beekeepers have reported a significant increase in the number of bee colonies compared with recent seasons.

Honey production, however, continues to vary by region depending on forage availability and local weather conditions. While some areas have recorded satisfactory yields, others have fallen short of expectations. Production of sidr honey has also been lower than beekeepers typically expect, Benbel said.

He cautioned that it remains too early to assess the overall season because production of summer honey varieties, particularly daghmous and carob honey, has not yet begun. The carob flowering season extends through October, making it premature to draw conclusions about annual production.

Professional beekeepers generally wait until the end of October before issuing a comprehensive assessment of the year’s honey harvest, he said, noting that several key production periods still lie ahead.

Benbel also recalled the extreme weather conditions that affected parts of southern Morocco in previous years, when record-breaking temperatures caused beeswax to melt and honey to leak from hives, resulting in significant losses.

He expressed hope that such conditions would not recur this year.

Professional beekeepers are continuing to move hives to areas with abundant water, moderate temperatures and productive summer pastures, particularly in the Middle Atlas and High Atlas mountains, where cooler evenings and higher humidity provide favorable conditions for maintaining bee activity and supporting honey production throughout the summer.