Greetings and Introductions

Dear Wisconsin beekeepers and those interested in honey bees and wild pollinators:

This is the second quarterly update of 2023 from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s (DATCP) apiary program! Please let us know how you use this newsletter and send any feedback, questions, or ideas for future updates to Frances.Hegarty@wisconsin.gov.

Small-Scale Beekeepers Earned More $$ with Best Management Practices

Entomology researchers found that small-scale beekeepers earned more with Best Management Practices (BMP) than with Average Management Practices (AMP). BMPs include consistent, monthly monitoring for Varroa mites; recording that data; lawfully controlling Varroa with a miticide when needed; and more.

Photo: Honey bee alcohol wash for a Varroa mite count.

2022 Apiary Program Summary

2022 was a busy year for DATCP's apiary program staff! Last year, staff conducted 234 routine inspections and opened 1,462 hives across Wisconsin. In addition, staff issued 62 certificates of apiary inspection for about 33,000 migratory hives, primarily destined for California and Texas for pollination services.

For the 12^th year, Wisconsin participated in the USDA National Honey Bee Survey (NHBS) to examine a subset of colonies for Varroa mites, Tropilaelaps mites, Nosema levels, viral pathogens and other exotic pests. Samples were also taken to be analyzed for pesticide residues. To date, no Wisconsin samples have ever tested positive for Tropilaelaps spp., Apis mellifera capensis, or Slow Bee Paralysis Virus. Final pesticide test results are pending. All NHBS data is available to the public on the Bee Informed Partnership research portal at https://research.beeinformed.org/state_reports.

Statewide inspections found decreases in several honey bee pests and diseases from 2021 to 2022. Incidences of deformed wing virus decreased from 4.20% to 1.42%; sacbrood virus declined from 8.40% to 2.40%; and no American foulbrood was detected for the first time in five years. In contrast, Varroa mite incidence increased from 41% in 2021 to 58% in 2022; and colony winter mortality, as reported via our survey questionnaire, increased from 42% in 2021 to 68% in 2022, exceeding the national average of 32%. We are hopeful that beekeepers who continue to receive inspection services and management information will be able to reduce Varroa levels and overwintering mortality over time.

We also stepped up our apiary outreach in 2022, both in-person and virtually. In addition to the information that we provide during inspections, we reprinted our apiary pest ID cards, which many beekeepers find helpful. We also debuted this e-newsletter last year, which is still going strong!

Throughout the year, our staff spoke to nearly 650 attendees at more than a dozen presentations, including at PBS Wisconsin's 2022 Garden & Landscape Expo. There, Apiary Inspector Donna Stine delivered a talk, titled Promote Healthy Honey Bees and Native Pollinators. Donna was also a WPR La Crosse "Newsmakers" panelist on January 28, 2022, discussing honey bees and DATCP's apiary program. 

Follow DATCP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to see apiary-related posts, along with helpful links to grant opportunities, management guides, pollinator protection resources, and more! 

2022 inspection summary:

• 234 voluntary inspections
• ≈ 1,462 hives opened
• 25 samples for the National Honey Bee Survey (NHBS)
• 62 Certificates of Apiary Inspection issued
• 68% winter mortality reported during voluntary inspections

Map: DATCP apiary program 2022 inspection locations.

Photo: Honey bees and a queen honey bee. Can you find the queen?

See You in May!

We look forward to seeing beekeepers this season! Please join us in welcoming back our two seasonal apiary inspectors: Patrick Sizemore, who covers western Wisconsin; and Donna Stine, who covers the eastern half of the state. Contact our apiary inspectors May through October on a first come, first serve basis to schedule an inspection. Click on the "DATCP" Apiary Inspections" link below to see our inspector assignment map and contact information.

Greener Pest Control for Cranberries

Wisconsin is the top producer of cranberries in the United States and USDA researchers in Madison are studying soil nematodes that are native to the state and other regions. These nematodes may provide an additional method for controlling beetles and fruitworms that affect cranberry crops without posing a threat to ladybugs, honey bees, or other beneficial insects. This is especially important since honey bees and native bees (including managed and wild bumble bees) pollinate cranberries!

Photo: Cranberry juice and cranberries, USDA ARS.

Sunflower Crops Linked to Reduced Varroa Mite Infestations

Good news! A recent scientific study linked sunflower crops to reduced Varroa mite levels in honey bees. The study reported that a twofold increase in sunflower crop area was associated with a 28% reduction in mite infestation. Also, the researchers found that late summer feed supplementation with sunflower pollen, as opposed to artificial pollen, was associated with a 2.75-fold reduction in varroa mite infestation. However, the researchers reported that additional studies are needed to understand why this is occurring. 

Photo: Honey bees on sunflowers. USDA NRCS.

Bee Informed Partnership Loss & Management Survey

This survey is open and accepting responses from April 1 through April 30, 2023. Please take a moment to submit your response. Each response helps inform beekeepers, researchers, policy makers, and the greater public about impacts to honey bee colony health, so your response matters! This year, the survey has two versions suited for larger and smaller-scaled beekeepers. 

Visit beeinformed.org to join in the effort, learn more, and take the survey!

Find more information about the DATCP Apiary Program and the Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Plan via the DATCP Beekeeping and Pollinators webpage.

Division of Agricultural Resource Management | Bureau of Plant Industry

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