Summer is always a busy time for those of us living in the Maritime provinces and this is especially true for beekeepers.  We have a very short season for beekeeping as well as taking advantage of the beautiful weather with family and friends.  During the beekeeping season it is also the only time available for practical beekeeping training. It is great to have the option, with current technology, to meet virtually but the reality of beekeeping is this medium for learning has limits. So in spite of the challenges of a busy beekeeping season, beekeepers are encouraged to attend as many face to face, in person meeting opportunities as possible. One opportunity was presented to beekeepers this past weekend, with the 2026 NBBA Summer Twilight Session, for an in person gathering.

Review of NBBA Twilight Meeting

This past Saturday evening (July 11) the New Brunswick Beekeepers Association (NBBA) organized a visit to Trueman’s Blueberry Farm (Aulac, NB).  This twilight session was hosted by Tom Trueman, farm owner, and Bobby Bogdanova, head beekeeper.  Trueman’s Blueberry Farm has become one of New Brunswick most visited agritourism businesses and its location make it highly accessible for the well over 100,000 visitors each year.  The group was able to go on a miniature train ride around the farm to start the meeting  which set the stage for the pleasant and informative evening to follow.

Display within Trueman Farm’s train station – meeting location of the NBBA Twilight meeting.

To begin the meeting, Tom provided some background on how the direct-to-consumer aspect of the business has been developed over the past 20 years. There are a range of family-friendly activities for visitors, in addition to the fruit U-pick (cultivated blueberries, raspberries as examples).  The Farm also has seasonal activities, like their now famous tulip festival and special Christmas events.  Their sunflower maze is also a well-known local attraction.

The specific aspects of Trueman’s farm honey bee operation was covered by Bobby.  His over 30 years of beekeeping experience is obvious with the depth of knowledge he displays. Bobby’s presentation ranged from the challenges of beekeeping generally to specific tribulations of the Trueman’s operation. Having started beekeeping as a child in Bulgaria and working as a commercial beekeeper in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for decades, Bobby shared his understanding of beekeeping, and queen production, with the collected group. It was obvious that he was happy to answer all questions from both experience and novice beekeepers alike. A great deal of information was disseminated around the room over the course of a couple of hours.

The group finished with a scoop of the Trueman’s famous, award-winning ice cream. Not only a great example of a value added product, it was a perfect opportunity to experience a warm summers evening.  Beekeepers chatted and enjoyed a cone to finish of the night.  ATTTA was in attendance with a group of students participating in the Fundamentals of Beekeeping course, and we were pleased to help organize the event along with the NBBA.  To represent the Association, president Chris Lockhart was in attendance. He discussed both his own commercial beekeeping experience and the work of the association during the informal chats while enjoying an ice cream.  

Fundamentals of Beekeeping class learning from Trueman Farm’s head beekeeper Bobby Bogdanova (ATTTA©2026).

Participation in this, and similar events where successful beekeepers share their stories, has obviously great benefit.  Attendance at the meeting was good but there was room for additional beekeepers, so remember that coming along to these events is always worthwhile, and sometimes there is ice cream! 

The next learning opportunity for the region’s beekeepers is the Atlantic Bee Tour in Charlottetown PEI. Registration details can be found here: https://peibeekeepers.ca/2026-atlantic-bee-tour/

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email attta@perennia.ca

Beekeeping is not an activity conducted in isolation.  Honey bees range over great distances and there is often overlap in foraging activity with neighbouring beekeepers.  This forced, resource sharing is perhaps why our community is so welcoming of new beekeepers and willing to engage in collective educational activities.  An understanding that we are all in this together.  This is also shown through frequent beekeeping congregations held to mingle and learn.  Through this blog, we report on these specifically when they occur and there seems to always be something happening!

Beekeeper Life-Long Learning 

Last week in the Atlantic region, there were two meetings to discuss beekeeping and pollination.  Held in Prince Edward Island, both were well attended, informative events.  On Friday, the Wild Blueberry Growers Association organized a meeting titled “Wild Blueberry Information Day and AGM”.  Alongside the meeting was also a tradeshow with important supporters of the wild blueberry industry in attendance.  The goal of the meeting was to provide an update on the current wild blueberry industry in PEI.  This was provided through an introduction and welcome from the current PE WBGA president, Benny Nabuurs and a market report, given By Gilbert Lavoie.  An update on the overall North American wild blueberry industry was also provided by Neri Vautour (Wild Blueberry Association of North America).  Information specific to beekeeping was supplied by Cameron Menzies (PEI Department of Agriculture and Land) and the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture.

The following day, a well attended workshop was conducted in partnership with ATTTA and the PEI Beekeepers Association.  Saturday morning was spent in an engaging conversation with a large group of new beekeepers (and some old ones😊).  This was a great demonstration of the enthusiasm for beekeeping and related learning opportunities in PEI. The discussion ranged across many aspects of beekeeping, including queen outdoor overwintering and mite control.

Figure 1 Beekeepers attending the Atlantic Bee Tour 2022, engaged in learning!

The enthusiasm shown in PEI for beekeeping is shared across the whole region.  As ATTTA travels to attend meetings and provide training there are always new beekeepers in attendance.  Most of these events are organized by industry associations and these groups have a number of upcoming events in the works this season.  As a new beekeeper, the best way to engage with the industry is through your provincial associations.  So, make sure that you are a member to open the doors to great social, educational and professional happenings.

Another important aspect of the life-long learning that is beekeeping, is to ensure that you have a mentor.  Every beekeeper, no matter the length of their experience, should have someone with whom they can discuss the challenges of this unique enterprise.  All of the beekeeping associations have a process to support new beekeepers in gaining a mentor.  So, if you haven’t already, take advantage of this opportunity.  In a recent conversation with a seasoned beekeeper with decades of experience, the question was posed, “how long does it take to become a good beekeeper?”  After a moment’s reflection, the answer was, “I don’t know yet!”  The best beekeepers are the ones who understand there is always more to learn.

Reminder – the registration for the Fundamentals of Beekeeping is open!  Details can be found here or by contacting Dalhousie University directly.  

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email abyers@perennia.ca

In Atlantic Canada, and worldwide, varroa mites present an immense challenge to honey bee health. These parasitic mites feed directly on honey bees and cause further devastation as vectors of deadly viruses, such as Deformed Wing Virus. There is a growing concern in the Canadian beekeeping industry that varroa mites are developing resistance to our leading treatment option, Apivar®. Today, we will discuss this concern and how to respond.

When Mites Fight Back

Earlier this month, an article out of the Manitoba Co-Operator featured an interview with the provincial apiculturist Rhéal Lafrenière who stated, “The consensus is that general efficacy, countable efficacy of that product – Apivar – is quite variable. It is probably no longer in that 90 percentile range” (Stockford 2022). When Apivar was first approved for use in Canada, it was a highly effective miticide and, as such, became heavily used by beekeepers. However, the danger in relying on a single chemical miticide is development of resistance (Pernal and Clay 2013). This may be what we are experiencing now.

Varroa mite on the abdomen of a honey bee. (Photo credit: Alex Wild)

Lafrenière noted in this interview that it is not clear whether the recent reduction in Apivar efficacy is due to mite resistance or perhaps environmental conditions. This uncertainty can, in part, be resolved through research and credible efficacy trials.  In support of this effort, Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) has committed to developing a unified approach in tackling the challenges of varroosis and miticide efficacy. Efficacy trials are a priority for beekeeping research and extension groups across the country.  Periodic testing of chemical miticides has become a main concern for everyone involved in the beekeeping industry.

At the local level, beekeepers have begun to request regionally specific research to identify resistance in Atlantic Canada. In 2017 and 2018, ATTTA preformed efficacy testing in the Maritime region and at this time, the average mite mortality of Apivar for the hives tested was 99.8% (Olmstead et al. 2019)! Having been done nearly five years ago and in light of current concerns, this work requires updating. To achieve this, a small group including ATTTA is working to resource and implement an efficacy research trial in the 2022 beekeeping season.

Together with periodic testing for miticidal resistance, an integrated pest management (IPM) approach is essential to sustainable long-term control of varroa mites (Jack and Ellis 2021). IPM uses a combination of methods for managing hive health, including cultural, physical, biological, and chemical treatments. ATTTA has a comprehensive factsheet describing several Varroa Mite Management Options for Atlantic Canada in consideration of IPM practices. A critical point is that the use of synthetic treatment options, such as Apivar, must be rotated to improve longevity as an effective miticide. 

It appears that varroa mites are fighting back against Apivar. Efficacy testing will be necessary to validate this objectively. In the mean time, testing your hives for varroa mites before and after treatment is a valuable way to keep track of mite populations in your own apiary and apply treatments when necessary. Testing is a critical practice in integrated pest management, an approach which will be critical in the continued struggle against varroa mites. 

Jack, Cameron J, and James D Ellis. 2021. “Integrated Pest Management Control of Varroa Destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the Most Damaging Pest of ( Apis Mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) Colonies.” Edited by Hongmei Li-Byarlay. Journal of Insect Science 21 (5): 6. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieab058.

Olmstead, Sawyer, Cameron Menzies, Robyn McCallum, and Kathleen Glasgow. 2019. “Apivar® and Bayvarol® Suppress Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies in Canadian Maritime Provinces,” 4.

Pernal, S.F. and Clay, H. (eds). 2013. Honey bee disease and pests, 3^rd Edition. Canadian Association Professional Apiculturists, Beaverlodge, AB, Canada 68pp

Stockford, Alexis. 2022. “Varroa Mite Protection Product for Bees Losing Its Punch.” Manitoba Co-Operator, February 7, 2022. https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/news-opinion/news/varroa-mite-protection-product-for-bees-losing-its-punch/?mc_cid=6a0caa09ee&mc_eid=36feb27f2f.

Fundamentals of Beekeeping

Another great resource for learning about varroa mite management is the Fundamentals of Beekeeping! After the success of last year, ATTTA and Dalhousie are excited to offer the Fundamentals of Beekeeping training program in 2022. Content will be fully online, with the option to join in person for Saturday sessions! (COVID-19 restrictions permitting). Click here for more information and enrollment options!

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email abyers@perennia.ca