LOVELAND, Oh. – If numbers are any indication, beekeeping in southwest Ohio and other parts of the tri-state is alive and well.

Attendance at the 46th annual Southwestern Ohio Beekeeping School in Loveland was at capacity, with an influx of both veteran and new beekeeping enthusiasts.

According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), honeybee populations in Ohio and across the U.S. have seen a significant increase, with the number of bee colonies rising to an all-time high. The U.S. added almost a million honeybee colonies in the past five years. NASS statistics suggest more than 1 million honeybee colonies have popped up around the nation since 2007.

Greg Meyer, Ohio State University agricultural educator and the school’s host, was one of a dozen presenters at this year’s gathering. Meyer spoke about the importance of native plants for pollinators, which has helped with the honeybee population over the past few years.

“One of the bigger issues facing beekeepers is the lack of diversity in crops for the bees throughout the growing season,” Meyer said. “Pollinators are vital. Having native plants around is helpful. Bees need to eat throughout the season. For example, soybeans can be valuable, but they only flower for a week or two, then they’re gone. So, the big challenge, especially for backyard beekeepers, is can they provide enough food throughout the growing season to keep those hives healthy and strong. They need a big number of food buildup and strong number of bees to survive Ohio’s winters. Unfortunately, for many ‘keepers in Ohio it’s building the strength within the hive.”

In past bee schools, much of the talk surrounded that of the varroa and tracheal mites, as well as small hive beetles. Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, was also a devastating topic. Even pesticide usage was discussed. Also making headlines was the Africanized honeybee, which threatened to spread from the southwest and deep south into hives here in the Midwest.

“Africanized honeybees are still out there, but they’re not a major issue these days,” Meyer said. “Other challenges are still out there. There’s varroa mites, tracheal mites, small hive beetles and pesticides to deal with.”

Alex Zomchek, certified master beekeeper instructor from Butler County, echoed Meyer’s statement about pests like the mites, adding that ‘’while they remain a big threat there are simple fixes.”

“Colony mortality rates in Ohio are up to 50 percent in many cases and these pests are the biggest reason why they occur,” said Zomchek, who manages bee labs in Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida and North Carolina. “These mites are like mosquitoes, they can’t be eradicated totally. We’ll win the battle if we use the tools and techniques that we’ve already developed. We can take that 50 percent mortality rate and reduce it easily down to the 10 percent zone using what we’ve already learned.”

Zomchek refers to techniques such as maintaining clean equipment, providing adequate water and food sources, regularly inspecting hives for pests and diseases, and ensuring proper hive ventilation and expansion as needed.

Discussions during the program mostly centered around how to keep colonies thriving during winter months and how to increase colony sizes.

On a lighter topic, Clermont County beekeeper Randy Smith was on hand to show ’keepers how to make mead. Often referred to as “honey wine” and “the nectar of the gods,” mead is simply fermented honey and the oldest alcoholic beverage.

“Mead is nothing new,” Smith said. “Mead dates back before the days of the Vikings. You don’t hear much about it compared to the rest of the wine products out there. Any beekeeper can convert honey to mead. All you need is honey, water and yeast. In just four to six weeks, you can bottle it. This just adds another aspect to beekeeping.”

In addition to a full slate of speakers, there were many vendors on hand, offering everything from honeybee extractors to beeswax to books on beekeeping.