Fall Survey 2019 NY Bee Wellness
Results!

Thank you to all who have completed the survey!
The survey represents a sample of 279 non-migratory beekeepers from 55 counties in New York State.  It may show trends that are occurring throughout the state. Be sure to check your region results and share with your local group, the PDF links are at the bottom of the page.

Highlights: With the exception of Long Island, most of NYS had a very good honey year that would have been greater if not for the delayed Spring. Most increase during the summer was through beekeepers making splits and nucs. About 20-25% of respondents are confident enough to raise queens on some level, and to assess hive strength to determine which hives should be combined.
Not surprisingly, the strongest hives that survived the winter tended to have the highest mite levels in the Fall.
Close to 40% of beekeepers still do not monitor varroa mite levels, an improvement on previous years. Alcohol wash is the most popular varroa sampling technique. Checking the counts can help to assess hive health and dynamics.
The top 3 problems that respondents have with their bees are: varroa mites, Queen failure, small hive beetle; Fall dwindling was another common complaint.
 

Congratulations to Jason Hamilton of Ithaca College as the winner of the $50 Betterbee Gift Certificate!

Please send any comments, suggestions, or questions. Please watch for the 2020 NY Bee Wellness Spring Survey.

NOTE: If the data does not display properly, please view the email in your browser by clicking the link in the upper right corner of this page, or the PDF link below.
 
PDF links to the county regional survey results are at the bottom of the page.