Disease and climate change put pressure on bees and their keepers: apiary inspector
Without bees, there is no food, so keeping hives healthy is of utmost importance. That job is becoming more difficult thanks to an outbreak of disease and the effects of climate change.
That’s where special apiary inspectors come in, who check on the health of keepers’ bees to help prevent the spread of honeybee diseases and pests.
Marie Cairns, a bee keeper who runs a small apiary in the Cowichan Valley, had her hives checked on Friday by Tara Galpin, an aviary inspector for South Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
“First of all, it was all about the pollination, but then the more you learn about bees the more fascinating they are,” Cairns said.
Cairns has been bee keeping in the valley for nine years. She got her inspection for free, as any bee keeper can, so she can sell some of her hive.
“You have bees and you want your own bees to stay healthy, so you want their bees to be healthy because they fly and bring back disease if you don’t or mites or anything else,” she said.
Galpin is looking for a few different diseases and pests. One that comes up often is the varroa mite, a parasitic mite that feeds on honey bees and causes a disease called varroosis.
“They feed out the fat body of the bee, so it’s like if we had the size of a rat on our human body feeding on our liver,” Galpin explained.
Unfortunately, Cairns’ bees had too many mites. “My first time failing,” she said.
But this experienced bee keeper is unfazed, and will work with the inspector to apply the appropriate treatment.
Galpin says unpredictable spring weather due to climate change—that have been cooler and damper—is helping to spread fungal disease and doesn’t allow bees to forage for food when they need it most.
Keeping bees in good shape is important, as along with other native pollinators they play a key role in sustaining B.C.’s food system, and contribute an estimated $250 million to the province’s economy.
The inspector says losses this year in bee colonies is between 30 to 40 per cent—climate change and the spread of disease keeping the pressure on bees and their keepers.
“More than anything, we need diversity of plants for our bees to forage from and diversity in our food landscapes,” she said.
Importing bees plays a major role in maintaining the bee population across Canada, and combined with the work of inspectors like Galpin, they’re ensuring bees keep food on our table.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6975593.1721827455!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.
Canada's envoy to NYC called to testify about $9M condo purchase on 'Billionaires' Row'
Canada's Consul General in New York will have to explain the government's decision to buy a $9 million condo in Manhattan's famous 'Billionaires' Row,' to a parliamentary committee.
Price of new housing dipped slightly in June: Statistics Canada
The cost of a new house was slightly cheaper in June compared to May, according to Statistics Canada. Prices dropped 0.2 per cent month-over-month, which is the first time in 2024 that new houses have sold for cheaper than the month prior.
Parts of DVP, Lake Shore Boulevard briefly flooded as Toronto hit with heavy rain
Thunderstorms bringing heavy rain are rolling through Toronto and have caused flooding in some areas, including the Don Valley Parkway.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
2 wildfires less than 8 km away from Jasper townsite, some structures impacted in national park
As the evacuation order continues for Jasper National Park, officials confirm that some structures in the park have been damaged by fire, but they can't confirm what those structures are.
'Inside Out 2' becomes highest-grossing animated movie of all time
If there’s one emotion that Disney and Pixar are probably feeling right now, it’s joy. That’s after movie sequel 'Inside Out 2' became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, raking in US$1.46 billion at the global box office and dethroning former record holder 'Frozen 2' from 2019, according to Disney on Wednesday.
Explosion and fire at Jose Cuervo tequila factory kill six, Mexican officials say
At least six workers have died in an explosion and fire at a tequila factory in Mexico, local authorities said.
Olympics: Celine Dion's presence in Paris 'not a coincidence,' says French minister
Celine Dion's presence in Paris a few days ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony is 'not a coincidence,' the French government says.