In the twin cities, spring brings complaints- about creeping charlie taking over lawns, strangling garden plants, and being generally relentless. But is the creeping charlie flower a good source of food for bees? In researching creeping charlie, we uncovered a fascinating story about this invasive plant’s strategy to draw insect pollinators. Creeping charlie draws a…
As a new member of the Pacific Northwest Tech Team, I have been fascinated by the wide variety of cultivated, native, and invasive bee-friendly plants in the region. Coming from the arid Sacramanto Valley of Northern California, the lush greenery and cool mountains have been a welcome change as well. One thing I have…
The summer of 2017 is an exciting time for the Bee Informed Partnership as industry support and beekeeper interest has facilitated the expansion of a new BIP Tech Transfer Team based in Michigan. This expansion into a new territory means learning about the specifics of the local landscape, agricultural systems and beekeeping calendar in order…
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…
