Rusty patch bumblebees are native bees that are now listed as an endangered species.  
photo: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab/Creative Commons

Another bad season for bees

Experts explore the reasons for bee population declines -- and ways to mitigate the problem

Beekeepers reported high losses over the winter and experts are exploring the reasons and seeking ways to mitigate future colony declines. Ian Steppler, president of the Manitoba Beekeepers Association, said Manitoba’s losses this year are extremely high. “We’re nearly at a 60 per cent loss right across Manitoba right now, the highest loss in Canada

Concerns over importing pests like varroa mite have kept Manitoba beekeepers from endorsing U.S. imports.

VIDEO: Beekeepers opt for closed border on U.S. bulk bees

Bulk bee imports from the U.S. have been closed for decades, and Manitoba’s beekeepers say they would like it to stay that way

Manitoba’s beekeeping sector won’t be endorsing any push to reopen the U.S. border to American bulk bee shipments. In late February, a majority of members at the Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association (MBA) annual meeting shot down a resolution to support the Canadian Honey Council, should the national industry group ever lobby the federal government to allow


“The consensus is that general efficacy, countable efficacy of that product — Apivar — is quite variable.” – Rhéal Lafrenière.

Varroa mite protection product for bees losing its punch

Producers may need multiple prongs of varroa mite control with some of their go-to solutions starting to lose potency

Beekeepers will have to watch their varroa mite levels more closely and be prepared to look past Apivar for other control measures, provincial apiarist Rhéal Lafrenière says. Why it matters: Parasitic varroa mites feed on both adult bees and developing brood, causing weak and malformed bees, high mortality and, associated with that, winter losses due