February 26, 2026

This text chronicles the history and management of Varroa mites within Ontario’s beekeeping industry since their initial discovery in 1991. The author outlines a cycle of chemical resistance, noting how early synthetic treatments like Apistan and Checkmite+ lost efficacy over time. To combat this, the industry has transitioned toward a diversified rotation strategy that incorporates synthetic strips alongside organic acids…

Research conducted by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry suggests that beekeepers can increase their total earnings by harvesting pollen during hybrid canola seed production. While the use of collection traps reduces the amount of honey a colony produces, the high market value of the gathered pollen more than compensates for this loss. The study found that short-term trapping during peak flowering…

This text details a cost-effective technique for expanding an apiary by creating a vertical colony split using a specialized division board. By placing a new brood box directly above an existing hive, beekeepers can utilize the residual heat from the stronger colony to support the development of a new one. The process involves isolating a queenless subset of bees with…