This year has been a season of challenges and successes for the Honey Bee Research Centre. Over the winter, we lost close to 30% of our colonies – more than we would have liked. These losses were likely due to issues with mite control last year. As spring began, our colonies were mixed in strength: some weak, some medium, and a few strong. We requeened the weaker hives, which are now recovering well, while the medium-strength colonies steadily built up and became strong. The strongest hives were used to make numerous splits which helped offset our losses.
The start of the season was delayed by a cold, wet spring that lingered longer than expected. However, once summer arrived, the weather turned hot and stable, and the nectar flow came on strong. This turnaround has resulted in a promising honey crop so far, and we are feeling optimistic about the rest of the season.
We hope that you and your bees are thriving as well and that this year brings an excellent honey harvest for all.
