Despite Overwinter Losses Still Too High, Ontario Beekeepers Doing Better This Year

The OBA today released the results of its most recent Overwinter Loss Survey of Ontario beekeepers. 

Over 660 beekeepers responding to an internal survey by the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association indicated that 21percent – or one in five Ontario beekeepers – lost more than 70 percent of their colonies this past winter. That’s better than last year when almost one third of beekeepers lost more than 70 percent of their honey bees. However, the majority, 58 percent of Ontario beekeepers responding to the survey, lost more than 20 percent of their hives, the threshold most beekeepers regard as sustainable.

On the positive side, 36 percent of Ontario beekeepers feel their honey bees are doing better or much better than last year (2017-2018), when 25 percent of beekeepers felt their bees were doing much worse than the year before.

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“I am heartened by the optimism shown by beekeepers this year compared to last year,” says OBA president, André Flys. “Unfortunately, our overwinter losses continue to be higher than we can sustain. We had virtually no warm days this spring so it will be a challenge for beekeepers to get decent honey crops.”

Read full media release.