CATCH THE BUZZ – United States Department of Agriculture

10 April 2016

Fellow Beekeeper,

I am asking for a few minutes of your time to fill out the BIP surveys. Yes I know we are all a bit surveyed out but we really need your input, this year and next, to have a three year comparison with the NASS survey that you helped make possible. We can’t stop now. The NASS survey reaches a broad audience but the BIP loss survey has 10 years of data that we will be able to compare to; if we can indeed have three years of overlap between the two survey efforts. Additionally, the BIP surveys (loss and management) gather valuable data on management practices and allows us to say what works and what does not work.

So I am asking you to please send the following email to all the beekeepers in your organization. The surveys are open only from 1 April through 30 April 2016. Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the BIP team at: askbeeinformed@gmail.com.

Please take time to do both the Loss and Management survey http://10.selectsurvey.net/beeinformed/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=BIP2016#. With data from the management survey over the past 5 years we have determined year after year that treating for Varroa is one core actionable practice you can do to help your colonies survive. Only 46% of beekeepers reported using a varroa mite product last year but we see that those respondents who DO treat, lose ~27% fewer colonies. That is marked reduction in losses! This is a trend that has remained consistent from every management survey we have conducted to date.

Please encourage any and all of your fellow beekeepers to participate!

It only takes a few minutes to add your voice and your data to the surveys.

Thanks for your time,