Wet weather making it difficult for bees to pollinate

FRESNO COUNTY (KFSN) -- So far all the rain hasn't caused too much damage for Central Valley growers; however, the weather is cause for concern.

"Right now we're right in the middle of bloom season, that bloom season is a very critical short period where the pollination takes place. So right now farmers are out in the fields doing what they need to do to keep those blossoms dried out and most importantly looking for that dry weather to follow the storm," said Ryan Jacobsen Fresno County Farm Bureau.

While farmers are enjoying the abundance of water bee keepers are feeling the sting.

"This has probably been the hardest year out of 36 years of doing bees I've had of putting bees out," said Bryan Beekman, bee keeper.

Beekman is a third generation bee keeper and says the rain has put a damper on the bee's ability to pollinate this season-- almond trees in particular

"We need the rain of course; it's just coming at the wrong time. As far as the bees, they're cooped up in the hives-- the temperatures aren't right for flying so the farmers are depending on us for pollination."

Almond trees need bees to help the process to produce nuts, without bees almonds would cease to exist. That's why growers are so dependent on bees this time of year

"Right now in California probably 90-percent of the bees all over the United States are here in California for almond pollination. So there's a lot of stress on the growers and a lot of stress on the bee keepers for everybody to do their job," said Beekman.