Meetings
To join our club see the Membership section!
Typicallly we meet the 3rd Wednesday of the month 7-10pm from spring to fall.
See the meeting section for details
OMAFRA Overwinter Loss Survey 2022-2023
June 16, 2023 message from Paul Kozak, Provincial Apiarist:
This is a friendly reminder that the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ (OMAFRA) 2022/2023 Overwinter Loss Survey for Ontario beekeepers is open for response until June 26, 2023.
The survey is online and you can directly access the survey using the link provided above and below. Responses collected through this survey are kept anonymous and provide important statistics on the estimated mortality of Ontario’s managed honey bee population as well as key management practices used by beekeepers to control pest and disease issues.
As of June 14, 2023, only 11% of Ontario beekeepers have responded. This is a very slow start, so we would like to see this number grow! Please take a few minutes and complete the survey before the June 26th deadline. If you have already completed the survey, THANK YOU! If not, the ministry is keen on hearing from you in light of last year’s higher than normal colony losses. It is important that Ontario has a robust response rate to better understand the status of bee health in the province.
As a reminder, the OBA Winterloss Survey, administered by the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association earlier this spring, is conducted independently of this survey as is OMAFRA’s in-season mortality report which is an online tool you can use to report a significant honey bee mortality incident experienced either during the active beekeeping season or over the past winter.
The 2022/2023 Overwinter Loss Survey provides the official winter loss statistic for Ontario and is reported to the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists.
If you have questions about the completion of this survey, contact the Apiary Program by email at apiary@ontario.ca or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-424-1300.
OMAFRA Overwinter Loss Survey 2021-2022
May 20, 2022 from Paul Kozak, Provincial Apiarist:
As you may be aware, there have been early reports of high honey bee colony losses in Ontario and across Canada over the past winter. To better understand Ontario’s overwinter losses, I ask that you please take the time to complete the 2021/2022 Ontario Overwinter Loss Survey administered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Like last year, the survey will be administered online and will remain open for responses until June 19, 2022. The responses collected through this survey will be kept anonymous and provide important statistics on the estimated mortality of Ontario’s managed honey bee population as well as key management practices used by beekeepers to control pest and disease issues.
If you have any questions about the completion of this survey, contact the Apiary Program by email at apiary@ontario.ca or by phone toll free at 1-877-424-1300.
August, 25, 2021 WARNING- AMERICAN FOUL BROOD IN THE NIPISSING AREA
The Following was an email sent to the Sudbury & District Beekeepers Association
“I received the following information from Kathie Hogan, the Powassan Beekeepers’ group. This is to inform all local beekeepers that AFB (American Foul Brood) is present in the Nipissing District. An apiary located in Corbeil off of Centenniel Cres. was confirmed to have AFB today in 2 of its 5 hives, with possible symptoms in the other 3 hives. As resources have been shared between hives within the same yard and the similarity in symptoms the beekeeper has chosen to move forward with the burning of all 5 hives in the coming days. These bees have been treated regularly in spring and fall and monitored every 7-10 days. No used equipment or bees or sharing of equipment with other beekeepers or beeyards. The beekeeper noticed during the last check brood concern and contacted the local Ontario Bee Inspector who visited the site today, August 13th and confirmed the presence of AFB. It appears to have been contracted naturally through bee movement. This is a really serious situation. PLEASE check your own hives in the days ahead. Here is what to look for-http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/…/inspection/bees/afb-mgmt.htm
If you suspect AFB, please contact the local bee inspector immediately.
705-507-3527
289-213-0366
The only guaranteed solution, once detected, to stop the spread of American Foul Brood is to burn your hives. This is mandated under the Bee Act of Ontario (https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90b06).
Please read the Bee Act and be familiar with it. Beekeeping can be wonderful, but there is definitely a serious side to it.”