P.E.I. beekeepers remain upbeat amid massive bee die-offs around the country
CBC
Beekeepers in P.E.I. are heading into their busy season with a positive attitude even though the cold weather has been drawn out and there have been massive bee die-offs elsewhere in the country.
Hives are emerging following what's been a cold spring for the Island, which means honey farms are behind their usual schedule, according to P.E.I. Beekeepers Association president Troy Fraser.
"Mother Nature dictates everything," Fraser said. "We're just waiting for the dandelions to pop up and, in that way, the bees can start foraging more actively and the queen can start laying and things can really start kicking off."
While most beekeepers expect to lose some of their bees during the colder months of the year, 2022 proved to be particularly bad.
Beekeepers in other regions of Canada, specially in the West, have been reporting massive losses in the bee population, with some saying the industry is poised to lose hundreds of millions of dollars this year due to a huge drop in the bee population.
Fraser said beekeepers in P.E.I. have also experienced some of those losses.
"The trending situation with bee losses has hit everyone to a certain extent, myself a little more than others," he said.
"However, this is … something that happens with beekeeping. You have to bounce back from it."
Fraser didn't want to say how many bees he's lost, but beekeepers in other parts of Canada have told CBC News they have lost up to 90 per cent of their hives this winter.
But, despite the losses, Fraser is looking to expand and has recently acquired over 100 colonies from Nova Scotia.
Other beekeepers said they're even more optimistic.
Canoe Cove Honey beekeeper Mickael Jauneau said his business was "pretty lucky" not to have lost many hives this winter.
"It's kind of like an average year for us," he said. "The spring was really cold. But it seems like it's going to get better and better. So we're keeping our fingers crossed for a good season."
Jauneau said beekeepers now have to make a push to finish their work because of the cold spring weather.
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