Colony collapse disorder may be all the buzz, but Canadian growers aren’t feeling that sting.
The mysterious disorder that American beekeepers are experiencing doesn’t appear to be plaguing Canadian colonies.
Many American beekeepers are finding abandoned boxes when they check their overwintered bee colonies this spring. That could hurt U.S. seed, vegetable, nut and fruit crops that are dependent on bees for pollination to produce crops that bring in $14 billion in annual sales.
Agriculture Canada estimates that bee pollination of crops produces about $1 billion in annual sales.
Read Also
Alberta researcher helps unlock the economics of farming
Lethbridge Polytechnic researcher helping agriculture producers with decision-making tools in economic feasibility
Corey Bacon of Kinistino, Sask., is just starting to move the family’s bees outside for the season.
“There are always going to be losses. We expect 10 percent on average. Sometimes it’s more. But it’s seldom a mystery.”
Bacon said the near record honey crop of 2006 contributed to the higher than average losses being discovered this spring, along with locally variable mite control.
John Gruszka, Saskatchewan’s provincial apiarist, said some producers probably learned this the hard way.
“I think some folks figured because there were higher honey crops that all must be good within their hives. That may not have been the case.”
He said some large losses were found in the northeastern part of Saskatchewan. At least six farms have reported losses of 50 percent or greater, with one in the 60 percent range and another 80. Gruszka said varroa mites, a serious problem for growers in Europe and North America, are likely playing a role in these instances.
“They either thought their method of control, formic acid or another treatment, was working or they didn’t treat because they perceived there wasn’t a problem. Either way it didn’t work out,” he said.
A favourable season across most of Canada resulted in higher than normal honey production and along with it high bee populations. Living within those bees were mites. At the end of a busy summer when the current crop of bees died off, the mites jumped from failing hosts to the smaller next generation that was getting ready to overwinter. This may have resulted in more mites overwintering in the hives than in an average year.
In the United States, researchers have several theories on the cause of colony collapse, including a March cold snap, mite infestations and last year’s hot, dry summer that reduced the amount of plant nectar available. Some also speculate that pesticide buildups in the wax that forms the honeycombs might be responsible for colony collapses, when added to the stress of mites and the travelling that pollination contracts require.
“Chemical related deaths don’t usually look like the ones we’re seeing in Canada. They do look like mite related problems though,” said Gruszka.
Daniel Weaver, a bee producer from Navasota, Texas, and president of the American Beekeeping Federation, said American growers are finding empty colonies, with broods that have no adults left to care for the young.
“There are no invading colonies taking over these hives either. It’s a bit of mystery,” he said.
Doug McRory, Ontario’s provincial apiarist, said losses average 18 percent in that province. This year, some producers reported percentages exceeding 50.
Added Tim Wendell of Russell, Man., who is president of the Saskatchewan Beekeepers’ Association: “In the U.S. it looks like this syndrome has no smoking gun. There may be a whole bunch of guns.”
Alberta and Manitoba appear to be mimicking Saskatchewan when it comes to losses, say officials.
Wendell said over the next four weeks beekeepers will be evaluating their colonies and until then, there is going to be speculation about whether colony collapse disorder has reached Canada.
So far the mysterious American ailment has been suspected in Ohio, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Wink Howland, a beekeeper and breeder in Yorkton, Sask., said the stress that American bees are under with their transient lifestyle is different from the Canadian industry and that’s why Canadian bees may not encounter the diseases of their American cousins.
Wendell said so far the major collapses he has encountered in Saskatchewan could be because of poor mite control and other production problems.
Bacon said mites that have grown resistant to the chemical coumaphos, poor rotations of treatments and use of bees that aren’t resistant to mites are all factors affecting colonies this year.
