Keeping bees in Alaska

As chilly fall in Alaska approaches, beekeeping activity is on the wane. September 1 is often prime time for shutting down the hive. But it’s also time for planning and ordering bees for next season. You can learn about all that on today’s show.

Listen now:

Bees and their health are also in the news. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has been making headlines across the country since 2006, when beekeepers began experiencing 30-90 percent losses of their hives. That’s of concern because bees help pollinate food crops and are responsible for more than $15 billion in increased crop value annually. Learn the latest on CCD research by the USDA.

If you keep bees, we’d love to hear about your experiences. And if you have questions about how to keep bees, how to deal with a swarm, how to keep bees healthy, the difference between native pollinators and imported honey bees, then give us a call on Hometown Alaska.

GUEST:

• Tom Elliott, Southcentral Alaska Beekeepers Association
• Dena Tanguay, overwintering  bees, growing your garden for bees

LINKS:

• Southcentral Alaska Beekeepers Association (SABA)
• Facebook, SABA
• Introduction to Alaska Insect Pollinators, NRCS Alaska (2-page PDF)
• Concerns Rise Over Pesticide Use, Birds, and Bees Science Friday July 11, 2014
• Beekeeping in Alaska, Coop Extension Service (12-page PDF)
• Honey Bees and Colony Collapse Disorder, USDA Agricultural Research Service
• Sweet Stuff, Anchorage Press, Aug. 7, 2014
• Pollinator gardens in Alaska, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2-page PDF)
• How to make a pollinator garden, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (3-page PDF)
• Beekeeping resource list, Pollinator Partnership
• ‘Bee-safe’ neighborhood movement in Colorado, Daily Camera, 6-14-14

ADDITIONAL LINKS—Native pollinators:
(provided by Jessie Moan, Cooperative Extension Service)

• Pollination and native wildflowers (USDA)
• Pollinator friendly practices (USDA, Forest Service)

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752  (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
• Send email to hometown@alaskapublic.org before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
• Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air)

LIVE BROADCAST: Wednesday, September 10, 2014. 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. (Alaska time)

REPEAT BROADCAST: Wednesday, September 10, 2014. 9:00 – 10:00 p.m. (Alaska time)

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