This past weekend the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture (ATTTA) had the pleasure of attending the Prince Edward Island Beekeepers’ Association (PEIBA) annual general meeting in Charlottetown, PE. The event was well attended with representation from the beekeeping industry, wild blueberry industry, government, equipment suppliers, and other industry representatives. Read this week’s blog to learn about the highlights of the event.

Review: PEI Beekeepers’ Association Annual General Meeting

The Prince Edward Island Beekeepers’ Association (PEIBA) annual general meeting 2025 occurred on March 1^st in Charlottetown, PE. Troy Fraser, PEIBA president, welcomed everyone to the meeting and started the PEIBA business meeting with the president’s report. The association reviewed their 2024 financials and addressed any potential board elections prior to beginning presentations for the day.

Cameron Menzies, PEI provincial apiarist, gave a provincial update on the island beekeeping industry. Currently, there are an approximate 25 commercial beekeepers on the island who manage 4,500 colonies for pollination services and honey production. This past year the province experienced their highest colony winter loss on record at 61%. The industry reports that weak colonies in the fall is the number one reason for winter loss, followed by poor queens, weather, and Varroa mites. For Varroa mite management, the PEI department of agriculture inspected eight commercial beekeeping operations and sampled mite levels ranging between 0 and 1%, which is below the economic threshold for treatment and suggests that management practices are good. The department also found no American foulbrood during inspections, low incidents of European foulbrood and no small hive beetle. This past season, 9,818 hives provided pollination to wild blueberries on the island, which included local hives and hives imported from Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia. The average pollination stocking density across the island was 1.6 hives / acre. The average rental price was $226 / hive. There was 2,500 honey producing colonies in 2024, which produced an average of 25lbs. / hive.

Cameron Menzies, PEI provincial apiarist, providing an industry update at the PEI Beekeepers’ Association annual general meeting 2025.

Next, Dr. Kaira Wagoner, Optera CEO and co-inventor of the UBeeO^TM Assay, gave a presentation on the use of UBeeO for selecting hygienic behaviour in honey bee colonies. Dr. Wagoner discussed the benefits of hygienic behaviour for Varroa mite management, including reducing the industry’s reliance on chemical treatment. The Unhealthy Brood Odor (UBeeO) Assay^TM works to select hygienic behaviour by introducing pheromones of unhealthy brood over a section of healthy brood, and assessing the percentage of brood cells that worker bees manipulate. A colony is considered to have hygienic behaviour when 60% of cells are manipulated. The UBeeO Assay^TM has less variability of efficacy compared to other hygienic tests such as the “freeze kill” method. Overall, the results of UBeeO testing are indicating that colonies that have a higher UBeeO score have less disease and pest pressure, including lower Varroa mite levels.

To start the afternoon session, Troy Fraser (PEIBA president) discussed the association’s goals for hygienic testing and stock going forward. Their first goal is to promote the use of hygienic testing on PEI. Second, they want to introduce Varroa sensitive hygiene queens to the province. Third, they want to incorporate Varroa sensitive hygiene testing and monitoring practices into island beekeeping operations. Fourth, they want to establish a source of local Varroa sensitive hygiene queens on the island. Finally, the fifth goal is to maintain the local hygienic stock using instrumental insemination.

Karen Thurlow, New Brunswick chief apiary inspector, gave a presentation on her knowledge of queen breeding, and shared a variety of helpful information for new and experienced beekeepers. Karen explained how she has made beekeeping less physically exerting with her unique configuration of both cell starter and cell finisher colonies when rearing queens, which utilizes multiple nuc boxes rather than 10-frame deep boxes (which can present a challenge to move without a second set of hands). Karen also discussed her beekeeping practices throughout the season including feeding colonies, Varroa mite management, and equalizing colonies. 

Karen Thurlow, New Brunswick chief apiary inspector, discussing with her unique configuration of both cell starters and cell finishers at the PEI Beekeepers’ Association annual general meeting 2025.

The final presentation of the day was from Kayla Gaudet (Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture) who gave a program update on ATTTA’s extension and research work. If interested in learning about ATTTA’s research visit: https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/. The ATTTA team will be back on PEI on April 25^th and 26^th for an upcoming workshop in partnership with the PEIBA. More information about the workshop will be shared in the coming weeks.

Kayla Gaudet, the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture, providing a research and extension update at the PEI Beekeepers’ Association annual general meeting 2025.

Thank you to all the organizers of this great event, and to all of the presenters for their knowledge and expertise they bring to the industry.

Kayla Gaudet, the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture, with PEI beekeepers Monica Campbell, Connor Costain and Jason Campbell at the PEI Beekeepers’ Association annual general meeting 2025.

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email attta@perennia.ca