For those of you who missed this week's paper, attached is a pdf of the application by Drinkwater Environmental Services to develop a pest management plan for the Southern Interior. They are asking for feedback by Friday, February 22, 2019. We will be discussing this issue at the February meeting. Pest Management Plan NoticeDownload
Category: causes
Petition against Neonics
The following e-mail arrived in the West Kootenay Beekeepers mailbox: "Hello lovely bee enthusiasts, My name is Charlotte Dawe I am the conservation and policy campaigner for the Wilderness Committee. I wanted to let your group know that right now we have an amazing opportunity to speak up on behalf of bees. The science is… Continue reading Petition against Neonics
Current Neonic Information
An interesting article and video on a recent Neonic study; https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/scientists-say-no-longer-any-doubt-about-impact-of-pesticides-on-bees/article36295969/?ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com&service=mobile
Yaaaaayyy, Kamloops
“Blended” Honey
We were discussing "blended" honey at yesterday's meeting. Here is a good article on the subject; http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/beekeepers-bitter-over-use-of-imported-product-in-canadian-honey-1.2844190
Varroa vectored viruses
An excellent article to help with "mysterious" colony deaths; http://www.michiganbees.org/2016/why-did-my-honey-bees-die/
Honeybee Gene Bank
The Agricultural Research Service of the USDA will be establishing honeybee gene bank of frozen sperm and embryos to ensure maintenance of genetic diversity that may be required in the face of 30% or higher annual colony losses. The link if you are interested; http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1261
Peace Bee With You
For those of you interested, beekeeper Karen will preview the presentation that she is giving at The Parliament of the World's Religions in Salt Lake City, Utah (October 15 - 19). A different way of looking at bees, but probably highly appropriate in light of all the turmoil, war, and the grief and strife… Continue reading Peace Bee With You
Day of the Honeybee – May 29
May 29 has been chosen as the Day of the Honeybee because on that day in 1953, New Zealand beekeeper and mountaineer Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first known climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest on the Nepal-Tibet border. The pictures below were taken by Dr. Elizabeth Elle, bee… Continue reading Day of the Honeybee – May 29
Elizabeth May’s petition
Here's a link to Elizabeth May's petition to ban neonicotinoids in Canada. http://elizabethmaymp.ca/get-involved/ban-neonicotinoids/