Harsh winter weather last year in other parts of Canada played a big part in the die-off of millions of honey bees.
It’s been estimated that about 70 per cent of beekeepers in Ontario alone suffered “unsustainable losses” over the winter.
But cold is not the biggest problem for the approximately 300 beekeepers in the Cowichan Valley; it’s the rain and humidity during the west coast winters that poses a bigger threat.
Other factors, including attacks on hives by wasps and varroa mites, have also played a part in killing thousands of honey bees in the Valley recently.
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John Magdanz, president of the Cowichan Beekeepers, said many local beekeepers lost hives last winter due to the steady rains that drenched the Valley for days at a time.
“The hives get wet and bees have no way to dry them, so, without intervention by humans, many bees get dysentery and die,” Magdanz said.
Magdanz said there are ways to deal with the wet winter conditions, including using such spongy materials as wood shavings or fibreglass insulation in filter systems in bee hives that soak up moisture, leaving the hive’s bees high and dry.
Varroa mites are also a concern, according to Magdanz, and a bee specialist from the province told local beekeepers in the Cowichan Valley in 2016 that this area has one of the highest mite infestations in B.C.
Varroa mites are originally from Asia and makes local honeybees, most of which originate in Europe and have no natural protection, susceptible to other viruses.
They were first discovered on Vancouver Island in a honeybee farm in the Coombs area back in 1996.
“The Cowichan Valley is not that big and the bee farms are not very far apart, and that makes it easier for the mites to travel between the farms and infect the hives,” Magdanz said.
“They feed on the blood of bees and weaken them, which can lead to disease and death.”
Magdanz said there are readily available treatments to deal with the mites, and most members of the Cowichan Beekeepers use them, but many beekeepers in the Valley, often hobby farmers, are not members of the club.
“A lot of them choose to grow their bee hives all-natural and organically, but the truth is that there’s no such thing anymore,” he said.
“It’s not natural that European bees have come into contact with mites from Asia, and they don’t have natural protections against them, so measures must be taken to deal with the mites. Providing information like this is one of the purposes of the club and we encourage all local beekeepers to join.”
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Tie Frazer owns Chapelwood Cottage Apiaries in Mesachie Lake.
He lost five of his 17 bee hives, each containing between 20,000 and 30,0000 honey bees, earlier this month to swarms of yellow-jacket wasps when he had to leave his farm for 12 days to deal with a family emergency.
Frazer said the wasps were relentless as they went from one hive to the next, eating bees and honey as they went.
“The honey draws the wasps and then they eat the bees for their protein,” he said.
“Bees can only sting once, while wasps can sting over and over again so the bees didn’t stand a chance. I was disappointed when I returned and saw the damage, but it’s an excellent example of why beekeepers have to be vigilant and caring when it comes to their hives.”
Frazer said wasps are easily dealt with if bee keepers use proper wasp traps, and he’ll make sure he has them in place in the future.
“I’m hoping to have no more losses this year, and am building up strong bee numbers for the spring,” he said.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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