Huron Fringe Field Naturalists learn about beekeeping from local apiarist

Spring blossoms and a warm, sunny day put the Huron Fringe Field Naturalists in the mood to learn about bees during their May 16 meeting.

Speaker co-ordinator Bob Simpson introduced Guy Anderson (above) of the Lazy J Honey Ranch and Hive 'n' Hoe Country Store in Kincardine.

What began as a hobby for Anderson more than 26 years ago, has developed into an award-winning beekeeping operation that is one of the Top 10 largest in Ontario, managing 1,500 colonies in South Bruce with hives on 66 area farms from Kingsbridge to Southampton.

Honey and related products are sold at the Andersons' own outlet, Hive 'n' Hoe Country Store, and distributed to more than 25 other stores. In addition, bees wax is sold to LUSH, a cosmetics producer, and honey in bulk goes to eastern Canada, China and the United States.

During his presentation, Anderson unpacked his beekeeping tool kit, including a sample hive box, and explained the inner workings, its various parts, their function and how materials have changed over the years. For example, the frames that hang inside the box are now made of plastic for strength, durability and cost efficiency.

He passed around samples of frames, bees wax, pollen balls and small containers used to transport queen bees commercially, and demonstrated a smoker and hive scraper.

Throughout his talk Anderson entertained the group with astonishing facts and anecdotes gathered over the course of his career as an apiarist. The naturalists learned about the lifecycles of worker bees and drones, the environmental triggers that cause queen bees to be created or hives to swarm, how new queens are introduced to a population and how bees pass the winter months. Club members were amazed to learn that queen bees can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day.

A member of the Ontario Beekeepers Association, Anderson works closely with researchers at the University of Guelph in areas of breeding and treatment and control of detrimental pests and diseases.

At this point, Anderson introduced some of the many challenges faced by beekeepers, including the disease, Foul Brood, an infection of the brood chamber which results in the hive having to be destroyed. Mites are another serious problem as they prey on the bees and can introduce a deadly virus.

Neonicotinoids are a class of pesticide applied as a coating to seeds. During the mechanized planting process, some of the coating may become airborne. When consumed by bees, the neonicotinoids act as a neurological blocker which can change bee behaviours, such as navigational skills and ability to communicate location of food sources. Exposure to this poison can also change the composition of the larval food, causing bees to have shorter lifespans.

Although the term neonicotinoid is familiar to most, Anderson's explanation of the process and its impact on pollinators gave the group a much better understanding of the problem.

In 2013, Anderson lost 62 per cent of his bees (785 hives), at a cost of more than $300,000. This year, his operation experienced an 18-per-cent die-off which he attributes, in part, to improvements in the seed coating and a wet spring. Sympathetic to the plight of farmers trying to maximize yield, he acknowledged the difficulties in lobbying governments to change agricultural policies.

Throughout his session, Anderson fielded questions from members and was, ultimately, rescued by Donna Murray who thanked him for an engaging and informative presentation.

The final regular Huron Fringe Field Naturalists meeting of the season takes place June 27 at 7:30 p.m., with guest speaker Kerry Jarvis, updating the group about the plight of the Monarch butterfly.

To learn more about the club and its activities or to obtain contact information, go to hffn.huronstewardship.ca.