The Yucatán Peninsula has long been known for its honey, but climate change and habitat loss have severely impacted production over the past decade.
To complicate the situation, beekeepers say that a pesticide used to kill off plagues also kills scores of beehives yearly.
The bee sanctuary Xcunká on the outskirts of Mérida lost roughly 500 hives after supposedly safe pesticides were used on nearby fields.
Similar dieoffs have been reported across the state, as well as in Campeche, where the same types of pesticide are also in use.
“We have been assured time and time again that these pesticides are safe, but clearly this is just not the case. We need to be told the truth and find a way to forge forward,” said Jesús Roberto Poot Yah, a beekeeper in Xcunyá.
Another challenge facing bees and the families that depend on honey production for their livelihood is habitat loss in the form of deforestation.
While the loss of wooded areas on the periphery of the region’s main urban centers is certainly concerning, the large-scale devastation of ecosystems in rural regions caused by irresponsible farming and agriculture practices appears to be the main culprit.
Among the municipalities on the peninsula worst affected by deforestation over the past decade are Othon P. Blanco and Bacalar, both in the south of Quintana Roo, according to a recent report by Greenpeace.
The report points out that an over-reliance on the plantations of single crops such as soy has had a cascade effect in the region, which would take decades to repair fully. The issue of deforestation and the use of pesticides has also raised tensions with the region’s Mennonite community, known for their large-scale plantations and insular way of life.
Among the species of bees worst affected are Yucatán’s melipona bees, which are essential pollinators and play a vital role in the ecosystems of the peninsula.
The honey procured by melipona bees is highly sought after for its rich yet subtle taste, but ever-decreasing production has seen prices skyrocket and sales fall dramatically.
Authorities at all levels of government say they are looking into the entire host of problems affecting Yucatán’s bees, but locals say they have little faith in seeing any real change.
“We live off the land and the honey we produce, just like our ancestors did for thousands of years… but now everything is out of balance, and it could spell the end, not just for the bees but for our way of life,” said Anselma Chalé Euán, founder of the Kuchil Kaab Meliponario.
