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View plans for screened bottom boards and nosema sampling vacuums. Find information about oxalic acid and Honey Bee Pests and Diseases in Ontario.
Find a breeder in your area that is selecting for resistant stock through the Ontario Mite & Disease Resistant Honey Bee Breeding Program. Each breeder has their own selection criteria. See where they are located and find their contact information within.
Will you be purchasing a nuc or nucs this coming spring?
You should be aware of what a standard "nuc", or "nucleus colony" should look like and what they should contain. Check out this handy guide and be ready to ask the right questions when making your purchase.
Also, order early! Nuc orders fill up fast, so make sure you get your name on the list well before spring arrives.
Like all other insects, honey bees (Apis mellifera) are susceptible to pests and diseases, the majority of which are specific to honey bees. These disorders can impact the health of a honey bee colony with effects ranging from minor stress to the death of the colony. It is important for beekeepers to be aware of these disorders, learn to identify them and effectively manage disorders to maintain healthy colonies.
American foulbrood (AFB) is the most serious brood disease of honey bees. AFB is caused by a spore-forming bacteria, Paenibacillus larvae; that is specific to honey bees. This disease is highly contagious, will weaken and in most cases kill a honey bee colony. AFB will also contaminate beekeeping equipment which must then be destroyed to prevent the spread of AFB to additional colonies. There is no cure for AFB. Beekeepers can only take steps to prevent an infection from establishing itself in a beekeeping operation.
Prevention of a widespread AFB outbreak in an operation is the best strategy. Finding an AFB infection as early as possible, and taking immediate action, is critical to prevent its spread within an operation.
Varroa mites, Varroa destructor, are the most serious threat to honey bees. Varroa were previously known by the species name Varroa jacobsoni. Varroa are relatively large external parasites that feed on the body fluids of adult and developing honey bees. Varroa cause physical damage, weaken bees and transmit a variety of pathogens, particularly viruses.
It is crucial that beekeepers manage the health of their honey bee colonies by suppressing the population of varroa in all of them throughout the beekeeping season. This usually requires chemical treatments. It is also essential for beekeepers to monitor the severity of varroa infestations to ensure the levels of infestation are kept below damaging thresholds. It is also important to be able to quantify the level of varroa infestation in a colony.
The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray, is an emerging and invasive pest of the European honey bee. The SHB can impact colony health and damage beekeeping equipment.
There are many practices that beekeepers can employ to limit the exposure of their honey bee colonies to SHB. Beekeepers in all regions of Ontario should be aware of how to identify SHB and should familiarize themselves with the biology of SHB.
When checking on colonies in the early spring, you may come accross a wide range of population levels, food stores, states of queens and varroa levels. This pamphlet can help you decide the best approach for what you might find in your bee yard in early spring.
A guide for preparation and application instructions for the 250ml formic acid slow release pad.
This document from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands is an excellent resource for building your own equipment.
Copyright 2013 Ontario Beekeepers’ Association
Ontario Honey Bee Breeders selecting for Mite & Disease Resistance