Record-breaking warm temperatures in February have resulted in the earliest ever blooming of gardens in the Netherlands, with plum trees flowering in this month for the first time. However, this early bloom raises the risk of damage from night frosts. The Dutch Association of Beekeepers (NBV) has also reported a concerning increase in winter mortality of bee colonies for the fifth consecutive year, with a death rate of 11.25% at the end of January 2024, a figure that is four times higher than the average for 2014-2019.