> "Over the winter of 2012 -- 2013, the average level of wintering loss
> of honey bee colonies (i.e. colony mortality or colonies too weak to
> be commercially productive) across Canada was 28.6%"
From what I heard from beekeepers, this report has to be taken with a
grain of salt and also subjected to a bit of analysis. It sugar coats
the real situation this year for many Canadian beekeepers.
First and foremost, the report was compiled by an organisation for which
maintaining a Canada-wide embargo on US package bees is a stated
policy ever since the original border closures (first east, then west).
CAPA takes a stand against allowing package imports to any part of the
country, even though some regions need those bees and a federal ban
makes no sense since individual provinces simultaneously maintain their
own regulations about what bees and equipment are allowed to cross their
borders.
Next point: The source data is obtained by a sampling method which is
by its nature incomplete, approximate and subjective -- and therefore of
questionable quality. Why then, in the summary, are the survey results
are presented to one decimal place? This falsely suggests a degree of
accuracy that is impossible, and no margin of error is is stated or even
suggested in the report.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_precision
At any rate, even if the report were accurate, it does not clearly
present the range of outcomes in any one region, which is as important
as the average number given, especially for the individual beekeepers
who were driven to the wall this year.
The report states," It should be stressed that it is important to look
at the long-term, multi-year trend of winter mortality in Canada"
That is if little comfort to the beekeepers who suffered high individual
losses and were unable to obtain reasonably priced replacement packages.
Further, "Although it is also important to consider variation, by region
and between beekeeping operations it is clear that the level of colony
mortality has been at a high level for several years".
That is true, but the solution offered is more money for research, not
more options for beekeepers who need affordable replacement bees. It is
not hard to tell who wrote it: regulators, not commercial beekeepers.
This report is probably no better or worse than any other report of the
sort, but I'm not sure what one can learn from it as it is a view from a
distance. Too great a distance IMO, and through a foggy lens.
This my opinion. I know others may not agree.
---
Allen Dick
Swalwell, Alberta, Canada
51°33'37.58"N 113°18'54.24"W
Semi-retired - 40+ years keeping bees - 4500 hives max
Currently running about 70 hives
Hives for sale year-round
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/
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