Australia's commercial beekeepers have reportedly resorted to hand-feeding their bees as a dry spring has seen a reduction in the number of flowering plants.

Tasmanian honey producers have been spending thousands of dollars, according to reports, on pollen and other food for their hives ever since last summer's hot, dry conditions first set in.

But even the city's small-scale apiarists are feeling the effects of the dry conditions, according to Mike James, from the Wagga Amateur Beekeepers Club.

"Anything relying on Mother Nature is basically having a problem, so the flowers aren't flowering as well as they normally are and producing as much nectar, so the bees are having a problem," he said.

"They produce less honey and there needs to be more management to make sure they've got enough food, so that might mean moving the bees to where there's more flowers.

"If there's no flowers, we have to feed the bees and that just makes expenses as far as the beekeeper is concerned, and more management-wise."

Mr James said Wagga householders could help boost the bee population - essential for the pollination - by adding flowering plants to their gardens.

"Planting more bee-friendly flowers also attracts butterflies and moths as well as bees, as it's a whole ecosystem that relies on flowers," he said.

"But at this time of the year, when water is getting so expensive and becoming a limited resource, it's hard to encourage people to plant a lot of flowers in their yard because that means they've got to pay extra for water when Mother Nature's not providing it, so it's a bit of a vicious circle."

Incidentally, if you find yourself with an unwanted bee swarm in your backyard, Wagga's amateur beekeepers are only too happy to remove it, and use these bees to set up their own hives. Call swarm collector Glen Gaudron on 0413 277 856.