The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Survey provides insights into New Zealand's bees and beekeeping practices

The Country
8 Apr, 2021 02:30 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Photo / File

Photo / File

A recently released survey reveals important findings on the winter colony loss rates of Kiwi bees, Apiculture New Zealand says.

The latest New Zealand Colony Loss Survey showed that overall winter loss rates of bee colonies in New Zealand had continued to rise since the survey began in 2015.

Over the 2020 winter, 11.3 per cent of bee colonies were lost compared to 10.4 per cent in 2019 and 8.4 per cent in 2015.

While some overwintering losses were a normal part of beekeeping, Barry Foster, chair of Apiculture New Zealand's Science and Research Focus Group, said he was concerned by the increasing loss rate.

"The survey shows that in 2020 an estimated 99,150 bee colonies were lost. While this is lower than loss rates experienced overseas, it shows that we cannot be complacent when it comes to bee health."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The average loss rate across countries participating in the international survey, from the most recently available period (2018/2019), was 16.7 per cent.

Findings from a similar survey in the US found the winter loss rate over the 2019/2020 period was 22.2 per cent.

As in past years, New Zealand beekeepers reported that the primary reasons for overwintering losses in 2020 were queen bee problems, suspected varroa infestation, suspected starvation and wasp attacks.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Foster said there had been promising advances in both the area of varroa management and in the use of biocontrols to deal with wasps.

However, dealing with queen problems was more complex and the subject of research both within New Zealand and internationally.

"Ongoing research is a vital part of reducing colony loss, but also beekeepers know that their everyday management of these threats is key to hive health," Foster said.

"The survey is a really valuable tool in measuring how we are doing, and where more efforts are needed."

Discover more

Sniff test: How bees can smell deadly enemies

22 Feb 08:15 PM

Rare bee found after almost 100 years

01 Mar 02:00 AM

Couple's honey brand keeps family name alive

01 Apr 06:00 PM

Govt asked to rethink position on Glyphosate use after honey rejection

06 Apr 08:30 PM

The New Zealand Colony Loss Survey also unearthed the experiences of Kiwi beekeepers.

The 2020 survey asked questions on beekeepers' views on aspects of their work, their overall experience and how they accessed beekeeping information.

The findings showed that the economics of beekeeping was the biggest challenge for many and that most beekeepers learnt their skills through a beginner's course or from a mentor.

Apiculture New Zealand CE Karin Kos said these findings supported what she'd been hearing from beekeepers.

"It is a difficult time to be a commercial beekeeper, especially for those not involved in mānuka production."

In terms of training, she said more and more beekeepers were looking to professional qualifications and advanced courses to learn their skills.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our industry is seeing the value of having well-trained workers which is why we are seeing a huge increase of interest in programmes like our Apprenticeship in Apiculture scheme."

This scheme currently had over 200 participants who were training while working in the beekeeping industry, up from 75 people in early 2020.

The New Zealand Colony Loss Survey is based on an online survey of beekeepers and is part of an international effort involving more than 35 countries.

It is produced each year by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research for the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Find out more about the survey here.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

OpinionGlenn Dwight

Glenn Dwight: Southland's Ranfurly Shield win more than just rugby

Opinion

Jed Eden: Making hay while the sun shines - finance tips for farmers

The Country

New role to help overcome rural connectivity challenges


Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Glenn Dwight: Southland's Ranfurly Shield win more than just rugby
Glenn Dwight
OpinionGlenn Dwight

Glenn Dwight: Southland's Ranfurly Shield win more than just rugby

OPINION: Gather round for a tale of David, Goliath and a Log o' Wood.

05 Sep 05:00 PM
Jed Eden: Making hay while the sun shines - finance tips for farmers
Opinion

Jed Eden: Making hay while the sun shines - finance tips for farmers

05 Sep 05:00 PM
New role to help overcome rural connectivity challenges
The Country

New role to help overcome rural connectivity challenges

04 Sep 09:00 PM


NZ’s convenience icon turns 35
Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

02 Sep 09:23 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP