 Well, even with the wintry, whether it is still spring and the perfect time to get ready for the return of the honeybee. As Mel Meyer reports, bee populations have been on the decline, but many are hopeful that a grassroots effort can turn it around. Throughout the winter, bees ball up around the queen of the hive, shaking to keep warm in subzero temperatures. In our area, sometimes it's a little hard to get them through the winter. Our winters are so varied and unpredictable. Some won't be able to make it, but as it starts to warm up, they'll start venturing out the perfect time for beekeepers to catch them. The employees at Man Lake Limited are busy bees getting ready for hobbyists and commercial keepers prepping their hives. The almond crop in California in February requires 1.6 million colonies. A significant amount, especially when you crunch the unbelievable numbers. According to the USDA, out of the 74,000 colonies in Minnesota, there were 3,700 colonies lost. Just 690 colonies were added. So really the key to being able to repopulate the bees is to have healthy hives. Adding to the numbers is Wayne Rouge, who started this as a hobby, but quickly expanded to over 200 hives. He says the best way to get started is to attend a local beekeeping club. Pretty much half the members don't have bees, but they're there to learn what to do and if they're interested in getting bees. A lot of them, the first year they'll come to the meetings, listen, and then the following year they'll get bees. For those who are unsure about it all, there are other ways to help. Homeowners can plant all kinds of flowers and trees that the bees will forage on. The issue is so big that brands like Honey Nut Cheerios are offering to send their customers a free packet of flower seeds. But be careful, these packets contain invasive species, so your best option might be instead to buy from your local gardening store. Another way to assist the bees is to let your ditches grow and to research the chemicals you're using on your lawns. Read the labels, see if they're harmful to bees, don't use them if they are. In Hack and Sack, I'm Mel Meyer, Lakeland News. Area beekeepers will replenish their hives when hundreds of thousands of bees are transported to Man Lake from California next Saturday. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.