Iraqi bees battle drought to produce honey

An oppressive heat beats down on the central Iraqi province of Babylon, where drought and rising temperatures are hitting bees and honey production hard.

The deputy director of a local apiarist association said there is no water so, there is no flowering plants to keep the bees satisfied.

A bee needs to constantly forage for the pollen and nectar necessary for honey production. It is in constant movement, usually travelling hundreds of metres to find its bounty.  But, the drought is forcing bees to travel longer up to five kilometres to pollinate.  This impacts the lifespan of the worker bee, the deputy director explained. Authorities said Iraq is going through its fourth-straight year of drought.