HONEY BEES WE NEED THEM

WHY ARE HONEY BEES IMPORTANT? Every third bite of food we eat is due to pollination Pollination 18,000 acres of Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries in Fraser Valley. Fruits/Berries – Creston & Okanagan No Pollination = no fruit – no nuts – no hay? – no vegetables?

What’s Happening to the Bees? 1. USA – CCD – 50% Loss of Colonies Stress – Movement – Mites – Nutrition Virus – resistant new strains? Nosema Ceranae 2. BC – 50% Overwinter Loss 2014 Long hard winter w/cold spring Nosema Insecticides – systemic types Loss of forage

CRESTON VARROA MITES

You want me to be a beekeeper? WE NEED BEEKEEPERS You want me to be a beekeeper?

THE BEE INSPECTOR

Honey Bees are Regulated “BEE ACT” OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Register apiary sites Permit to Sell Bees and Equipment Disease: Inspection & Control

A Healthy Bee Yard

START UP COSTS Suit, hat, veil, & gloves $150. Bees (2 colonies) $400. Tools (hive tool & smoker) $50. Honey Supers (4) $100. Extractor $300. Uncapping Knife $100. Misc. (Medications/Mites) $50. TOTAL $1100.

GETTING STARTED IN BEES ECOMONIC OPPORTUNITIES Honey – 100 lbs/Colony = $300 Wax - .5 Kg / Col = $50 Pollination per Col = $100 Pollen = $20/Kg Royal Jelly = $250/L Venom = $100/gm Queen Production = $20 ea Packages & Nucs = $100 ea Propolis = $300 / Kg

WHERE DO I FIND IT?? Bees: Dave Johnson – Nelson/Proctor 250 229 4765 Books: Doug McCutcheon – Armstrong 250 546 9870 Equip: AB Honey Producers – Edmonton 780-962 5573 Stawn’s Honey Supplies – Vernon 250 542-9777 Medications: Medivet – High River 403 652 4441 Information: Lance (Bee Inspector) 250 426 6049 Infobasket: www/infobasket.gov.bc.ca

Kootenay Fall Fair

Kootenay Kountry Honey Product

Kootenay Kountry Honey Product

Kootenay Kountry Honey Product

Kootenay Kountry Honey Product

Kootenay Kountry Honey Product

Kootenay Kountry Honey Product