By Kelly Sinoski
Being a beekeeper has its sweet rewards, but don’t be fooled: a lot of work goes into maintaining and keeping hives.
Last winter was a tough one for many of our local beekeepers – and those across B.C. – who lost several of their hives due to a series of factors. Causes ranged from disease to the Varroa mites, weak colonies in the fall, poor queens or even starvation.
Every time you lose a hive, it’s devastating. I lost a couple and it still breaks my heart.
But we are not alone here in Cariboo. Paul Van Westendorp, manager of the province’s Apiculture Program, noted in BeeScene that spring surveys in 2021 and 2022 showed average winter colony losses at 32 per cent.
That’s a big loss and one we can’t really afford. Bees, birds, bats and butterflies are a huge part of our food production system, fertilizing our lawns, gardens, fruit trees and vegetables. At least 30 per cent of the world’s crops and 90 per cent of all plants require cross-pollination to spread and thrive.
Canada has more than 800 native bee species – including the big, fuzzy Bumblebee — but more than half of them are considered endangered, due to factors such as habitat loss, diseases and pesticides, according to groups like the David Suzuki Foundation.
It’s up to us to support bees by providing the habitat they need to thrive and survive. This could mean keeping yards and gardens messy in the spring, as they could be hosting wild bees and butterflies, and planting more native plants in our gardens.
More people, including many in the South Cariboo, are also taking up the torch by becoming keepers of honeybees. It’s not an easy feat. Experienced beekeepers say it’s more difficult than it used to be to keep bees with the different environmental factors out there.
Still, there are measures we can take. The Central Cariboo Beekeepers’ Association – which includes members in the South Cariboo — hosted a field day last month, in which provincial inspector Barry Clark, of Prince George, enlightened us on tips and tricks to ensure our bees make it through the spring, summer and winter.
The afternoon seminar explained how to test for mites, identify “swarm” cells in the hive so your bees don’t split in half and flee, and send in samples when a hive dies or there is an anomaly in your hive.
Other steps to protect your bees include controlling wasps, which can clean out a hive – I experienced some of these bad actors in my apiary last summer – and are hard to get rid of once they arrive. Learn how to differentiate between wasps and bees and make sure you install wasp traps early in the spring.
Removing exposed food sources such as open garbage cans and green bins are also helpful.
Here are some other ways both beekeepers and non-beekeepers can keep pollinators happy:
· Add bee-friendly plants to your garden. Some of the bees’ favourites include sunflowers, alfalfa, clover, Cosmos, Sea Holly, hollyhocks, roses and lupins. Apple, crabapple and cherry trees are also a good bet, along with Bee Balm, lavender, sage, mint and thyme
· Provide clean water for bees and pollinators
· Choose organic options rather than pesticides
· Become a local beekeeper. The Central Cariboo Beekeepers’ Association is a great resource for learning, with experienced beekeepers and education field days.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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