By Justine Kelsie

More bees please, colonies suffer after harsh winter

May 25, 2018 | 5:10 AM

Due to a harsh and long winter, preliminary data shows that bee populations were impacted across the province and the country.

Dr. Steve Pernal, Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada located at the Beaverlodge Research Farm, says winter loss is determined through surveys from beekeepers. The results are gathered in mid-May each year which means the information is preliminary at this point. 

“We have heard from beekeepers across the country and have some idea of how losses are. It appears to be a bit of a mixed bag, but the general trend is we expect losses to be higher this year. The primary driver for that is the length of the winter. Every week the winter is longer it increases the rate of mortality in most cases. Certainly, weather has been an influence on the survival of colonies this year and we expect winter losses to be slightly higher,” said Pernal.

He says one area of concern is Ontario as keepers in that province are reporting higher than average losses. For the prairie provinces, there are similar drivers for loss and Pernal says there have been some beekeepers with higher than average loss while others had a normal amount of loss. 

“The new reality for bee survival in Canada, over the last 10 years, is that our losses are in the 25 to 30 per cent range. Historically, they have been in the 10 to 15 per cent range, doubling the rate of winter loss. I think we have made some incremental improvements over the past few years, but some factors are tough to control and the weather is definitely one of them.” 

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The impact that the loss of these insects isn’t isolated to beekeepers. The trickle-down effect will impact human’s food like fruits or vegetables. Farmers could be impacted by loss as well. Dr. Pernal says bees are very important to agricultural crops through pollination. 

“Right here in Alberta, we contract 60,000 to 80,000 colonies of honey bees to produce hybrid canola seed. That is seed that the farmer plants every year that has to be crossed every year for that hybrid vigor as well as incorporate the modern genetics and traits. Those are really produced through the action of honey bees and, secondarily, through the action of leafcutter bees. If bee numbers are down, the cost of production will go up for commodities like hybrid canola seed which could impact farmer’s seed prices in the upcoming crop year.”

After a long winter, the first forage for bees is willows and dandelions as they are a good pollen and nectar source, according to Pernal. It is important to keep those for the bees for the first part of the season, but as plants start to grow and bloom, it becomes less important. The fruit trees blooming are also important to bees and carry them into June when perennial flowers, as well as other plants, begin to bloom. Bees will also use canola crops when they come into bloom as well. To help bees succeed, Pernal says a flowering plant that produces nectar and pollen is what you are after. 

A public open house is being held on Friday, June 22 at the Beaverlodge Research Farm called the Beekeepers Field Day. The Diagnostic Centre expansion, owned and operated by the Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC), is nearing completion which is set for the end of July. During the Field Day, there will be sneak peek tours offered for those interested in seeing the facility. The $6-million building will have both Pernal’s team and GPRC under one roof to work on bee studies. Parasites, pathogens, and DNA of bees will all be something under the microscope in the new lab.