Challenging times for Alberta beekeepers

By Susan Johnson

            Alberta is the province with the largest beekeeping industry in Canada.  As Alberta beekeepers open their hives this spring, they are finding very high mortality rates.  In Canada, the overwintering mortality of bees is usually around 10%-20%, but this year rates are ranging from 30% to as much as 50%, and Alberta beekeepers are being hit very hard.

            Alberta bees are usually in confinement from around October-April each year, and there is always some expected mortality due to the extreme cold temperatures.  However, this year, many more bee colonies did not make it through the winter.  The Canadian Honey Council has stated that Alberta usually has about 300 000 bee colonies intact.  About 100 00-120 000 did not make it through confinement this year, a substantial increase over previous years.

            In addition to the cold winter, there has been another cause for the increase in the number of dead bees.  This is the varroa mite, a parasitic mite that feeds on honeybees.  It has existed in Canada since 1989.  These mites can also carry diseases that can spread within the bee colonies.  The varroa mite explosion was likely caused by last year’s hot and dry prairie summer, which allowed the varroa mites to flourish.   The Alberta Beekeepers Commission is funding research projects working on varroa treatments, but chemical treatments are not working as expected.  One promising experiment indicates that heating the hive to a specific temperature could kill the mites without harming the bees, so there is some hope.

            Beekeepers would usually import bees from places like Australia and New Zealand to replenish their hives.  Unfortunately, Covid-related disruptions in airline deliveries have made it much more expensive to order more supplies.  Replacement hives, which usually cost $200 each, are now being sold for as high as $700, making it very expensive to maintain colony numbers. 

Alberta beekeepers are resilient, but the low honeybee populations will also result in other far-reaching consequences.  Honeybees are crucial pollinators for many crops, such as Canola, which we often see in the fields of Sturgeon County.  Bees pollinate the foods we eat and also the foods eaten by birds and other animals, such as wild berries, nuts, and food consumed by domestic livestock.  The effects will be felt up the food chain.  Many plants have adapted bees into their life cycle.  If bee populations decrease quickly, plants may not have time to adjust and could die off.

The picture will become much more apparent this summer and over the next few years.  Meanwhile, a few simple things can be done to help our local beekeepers and the decreasing honeybee populations.  First of all, let’s buy local.  When possible, buy your honey from local beekeepers.  There are several in Sturgeon County, and their local products can often be found at the spring/summer Farmers’ Markets.  In addition, try to plant wildflowers in your gardens.  Not only are these flowers colourful and fragrant, but they are rich in nectar and pollen and offer the most food for honeybees.  Over time, these efforts can help make a difference.  Most importantly, Alberta beekeepers will continue to play crucial roles in this battle as they remain hopeful and do their best to keep their surviving colonies alive and healthy.