Etienne Tardif

Winter Hive Management

Back by popular demand!

Using field observations, hive monitoring and microscopy I have attempted to understand what goes on in a wintering colony during our long subarctic winters. Overall, I have had very good wintering success, however I continually look for ways to improve the health of the spring cluster through improving things that we have control of as beekeepers (Nutrition, Queen Age, Winter Stores and the hive enclosure thermal properties).

Bees are very interesting and adaptable social insects however they still need to follow the laws of physics. In this intermediate level talk, I will do my best to share my findings and how I have used this information to improve my winter setups.

Etienne has a mechanical engineering background. He got his start in beekeeping with a geologist friend as part of a mine reclamation project. The beekeeping was done after work hours. It was learn as they go operation as they were the only beekeepers in the area and Beekeeping for Dummies was their primary source of information. He now lives in the Yukon Territory and has kept bees for the last 12 years in northern cold climates where he takes a very data driven approach to keeping his bees. He has collected data to understand the annual bee cycle, mapped out the bloom calendar along with the nectar and pollen flows. He loves everything to do with bees/native pollinators and continuously seeks to expand northern best practice beekeeping. His current focus is winter thermoregulation, bee nutrition and bee health. In 2021, he received CAP funding to conduct a Yukon honey origins projects to better understand Yukon/Boreal/Subarctic nectar sources (pollen analysis) as well as the local honey chemical characteristics (NMR). He is also president of WAS – Western Apicultural Society.

This meeting is free and open to the public.

Please note that our meeting is in person but our speaker will be joining us virtually.  Our presentation will begin at 7:30 but please join us by 7:00 to allow time for visiting with like-minded individuals.