62 / SEEDWORLD.COM OCTOBER 2017 PROTECTINGPOLLINATORS ThisseriesissponsoredbyOperationPollinator, aSyngentaglobalinitiative. WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES on the way, it’s important to think about the preparation needed to keep hives safe and healthy for the hard winter season. Zac Browning, owner of Browning’s Honey Company in Jamestown, N.D., says the biggest key to managing winter hive loss is to have a large, healthy population of bees heading into the harsh weather. “If we have a big, strong colony that is relatively mite free and healthy going into winter, it has a very good chance of surviving even harsh winters in North Dakota,” Browning says. The majority of hive loss occurs over the winter, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), but there are still things that can be done to mitigate those losses. “A 15 percent loss is considered acceptable by beekeepers for hives over the winter,” says Caydee Savinelli, pol- linator and integrated pest management stewardship lead at Syngenta. She says the United States has recently seen winter losses above that 15 percent goal, largely because of Varroa mite populations. “Each year is different, but it’s been awhile since we’ve seen losses of only 15 percent,” she says. Most recently, according to the USDA, honeybee operations with more than five hives saw losses of 17 percent for the three months between October and December 2016. Annually, Browning says losses for the United States are close to one-third. Of course, new hives are being added each year to help make up for those losses. “In the last 10 years or so, the annual mortality rate nationwide has been near the mid-thirties, but our operation does not lose more than 12-15 percent each year, and I attribute that success to Varroa mite treatment,” he says. Mite Management While there are multiple ways to combat mites, both organically and convention- ally, Browning says most commercial hives rely on chemical treatments that are very specifically applied. “Essentially, you’re trying to kill a bug on a bug, which is difficult to do. The products we use can technically harm bees if used incorrectly, but we apply it at a low enough dosage so that only the mites are affected,” Browning says. If left untreated, the mite population increases to a level that can overwhelm Ensuring healthy hives for the winter season isn’t just the responsibility of beekeepers, farmers and landowners have a role to play, too.Melissa Shipman melissanshipman@gmail.com PREPARINGFORWINTER the hive, bringing in diseases that weaken the bees, so they aren’t able to withstand the winter temperatures as well as they should be able to. Savinelli agrees mite treatment is criti- cal. “Overwintering is considered more problematic in northern states because of colder temperatures and harsher condi- tions. However, in Canada, they have recently had lower overwintering losses, which might be attributed to Varroa mite control, she says. Inside the Hive Bees don’t hibernate or go dormant in winter. Amazingly, bees keep the center- most part of their hive at 96 degrees Fahrenheit by clustering together and In recent years, commercial beekeepers have struggled to keep winter mortality rates below 15 percent, a number considered acceptable by industry.