Dr. Dewey M Caron

Evaluating your spring colony 

Have you looked yet to determine if your bees survived winter? Average losses for Connecticut beekeepers were 49.76% last year, according to the Bee Informed survey (51 individual respondents with 448 fall colonies) – well above the average overwintering losses, the highest of New England states and well above the 32.2% average loss of US beekeepers. Colonies in late March can be weak, just right or strong (the Goldilocks evaluation). Survivors need attention relative to their strength in April. I will discuss how to approach early spring management of surviving colonies.

About the Speaker

Dr. Dewey M. Caron  Emeritus Professor of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, Univ of Delaware, & Affiliate Professor, Dept Horticulture, Oregon State University.  After retirement in 2009, I moved to Portland, OR to be closer to grandkids.  In retirement I remain active in bee education, writing for newsletters, giving Bee Short Courses, assisting in several Master beekeeper programs, and giving presentations to local, state, and regional bee clubs.