Canada's honeybee population at risk, July 25, 2022. (Photo: 5362891 © Irochka | Dreamstime.com)
Canada sees largest loss of bee colonies in past 20 years
Jul 25, 2022 | 3:25 PM
-
Share on Facebook
-
Share on Twitter
- Copy Link
FREDERICTON, N.B. – Preliminary figures indicate nearly half of all honeybee colonies across Canada didn’t survive last winter — the largest rate of colony losses in the country in the last 20 years.
Ernesto Guzman, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, says he assumes the biggest factor is varroa mites, which attack and feed on the bees.
Guzman says warm weather in the spring of 2021 led to an early start of the bee season and good colony growth, but those conditions also resulted in the growth of varroa mites.
Manitoba reported the greatest loss at 57.2 per cent, and Alberta lost 50.5 per cent of its colonies.
