Isle’s bees healthy, state says

LIHUE >> State officials say Kauai’s honeybee population is strong and healthy.

The Hawaii Board of Agriculture has declared the island’s bee population strong after studying factors like year-round foraging and a high level of honey production, the Garden Island reported.

“Kauai has some of the healthiest bees in the world. That’s the conclusion of our apiary specialist,” Board of Agriculture Chairman Scott Enright said while addressing the Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee on Wednesday.

The state’s Bee Pollen Study was completed last year, and a report is expected to be released soon. The specific findings are confidential because beekeepers were worried they would lose business.

The agency conducted the study in 2014 after the Kauai County Council passed a resolution to establish a grant within the Office of Economic Development that allowed beekeepers to test pollen for the presence of pesticides and other threats.

“There was community concern about agriculture pesticide use, specifically on the west side of Kauai, and whether bees were being adversely affected by those practices and were being killed off,” Enright said. “This study shows this is not the case.”

Lake atop Mauna Kea is full

KAILUA-KONA >> Rain and snow have kept the alpine lake atop Mauna Kea full or nearly full for more than two years.

West Hawaii Today reports that the robust lake comes only three years after officials found it shrinking quickly due to a dry spell. In fall 2013, Lake Waiau, normally 1.7 acres, was practically a puddle at 10 yards wide and nine inches deep.

According to the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife and observations by the Office of Mauna Kea Management, Lake Waiau is nearly full today, as it has been since fall 2014.