Abstract
The death of bee colonies, especially in the autumn or winter, only becomes clear in the spring. In the Netherlands, we say: "Only afterward do you see the cow's backside." Yet, there is always a history behind colony mortality. Varroa mites and viral infections are the main causes, alongside factors such as poor-quality queens, food shortages, extreme weather, or insufficient beekeeping skills. Therefore, it is wise to detect early warning signs to prevent mortality. In this article, we will delve deeper into how understanding the annual fluctuations in weather conditions can help better estimate the risk of winter mortality.
| Translated title of the contribution | Can the national weather service warn for honeybee wintermortality? |
|---|---|
| Original language | Dutch |
| Pages (from-to) | 16-17 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Bijenhouden |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2025 |
Keywords
- winter mortality
- Apis mellifera
- honeybee
- Varroa
- Food shortage
- forage dearth
- Beekeeping
- Weather conditions