The Bee Informed Partnership has released preliminary state losses for 2016-2017. If there are fewer than 5 respondents in a state, we will not release those numbers to preserve confidentiality. These tables represent Annual loss, Winter Loss and Summer Loss. We also report Total Loss and Average Loss. For further details regarding the difference between Total and…
Thanks to over 4,900 beekeepers this year, we have been able to track and record the loss and management practices of beekeepers for the 2016-2017 season, our 11th consecutive year. Thank you to all who have participated! For preliminary loss survey results, please see below. Honey Bee Colony Losses 2016-2017: Preliminary Results Note: This…
ONLY 7 DAYS LEFT to take the 2016-2017 Colony Loss and Management Survey! Take the Survey Today! April 30th (this Sunday) is your last chance to participate in the 2016 – 2017 National Colony Loss and National Management Survey. Taxes are finished so there is no excuse! Please pull up a chair, pour your favorite beverage and join…
It has been a few weeks since we left California, but it had me head over heels with spring in full force. Beautiful flowers like lupine, fiddleneck, and rosemary have replaced all the almond flowers that the bees came here for. Beekeepers are the midst of moving their bees back home by the truckload. Northwest…
2016-2017 Colony Loss and Management Survey is Live! Take the Survey Today! April 1st is just around the corner and for beekeepers, that means spring and the opening of the 2016 – 2017 National Colony Loss and National Management Survey. The results that are received from this survey provide valuable information that help us obtain…
This is my second post on the Carolina jessamine plant. The first post covered the effects of Carolina jessamine pollen on Honey bee colonies. The adult bees can become less active and die, and brood can die as well. But the Carolina jessamine plant is native to the Southeast United States. Honey bees are not. They were…
I just went on a trip to East Texas. While I was there, I heard a lot about the Yellow Jessamine plant (Gelsemium sempervirens) and its deadly effect on honey bee larvae. Yellow Jessamine (often referred to as yellow jasmine) is the state flower of South Carolina, and is often used in landscaping and gardens for its…
With the help of beekeepers all over the country, we have successfully completed our second year of the Sentinel Apiary Program! In 2016, 28 beekeepers from 16 states worked with us. Together we: Sampled and monitored the health of 289 colonies Processed 1,229 samples for Varroa and Nosema Shared data from 32 hive scales Collaborated with our beekeeping…
Florida’s winters are relatively mild and it’s hard to tell what season we’re in at times. The orange blossom is a clear sign the spring is beginning here in the Sunshine State. Along with being the State Flower of Florida, the orange blossom has helped produce a coveted honey crop for over 50 years. …
As spring approaches and the days grow longer, more plants are starting to bloom, including pussy willows. These plants usually bloom here in Northern California between February and March. There are several species of this plant but Salix discolor is the most commonly found. I usually find these trees near water though they are also…
