
OUR HIVES
Prairie Sweetheart Apiary is located in the Charleswood area of Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Nearby forage sources include Assiniboine Forest, Assiniboine Park, the Leo Mol Gardens, Assiniboine River and more.
BEES
This apiary manages a local mixed stock of honey bees, primarily of Carniolan origin. A subspecies of the western honey bee, these bees are generally darker in appearance and originate from the Austrian Alps, Yugoslavia and Danube Valley regions.
They are excellent honey producers, have great hygienic behaviour and are incredibly gentle and easy to work with.
Due to their region of origin they are more likely to forage on cold, wet days than other types of bees and rank among the best for overwintering.
HIVES
We currently have two bee yards, Vialoux Village and Pepperloaf Place. Vialoux Village now has four full hives with queens Kaia, Eliza Jane, Dixie Chic and Roxanne and two nucs with Xena and Calpurnia. Pepperloaf Place has four hives with queens Ollie, Akela, Winona, India and two nucs with queens Angelina Baker and Savannah.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
- Think like a bee! Figure out what they intend to do and then help them get it done.
- Supply a nearby, constant water source.
- Provide regular care and maintenance of hives. Check every seven to 10 days during peak season.
- Monitor hive activity with good record keeping. Evaluate regularly.
- Handle frames with care and try not to unnecessarily kill even one bee during checks.
- Make sure you are responsibly managing swarms.
- Know your mite count and treat accordingly.
- Check for disease and treat effectively using an integrated pest management approach.
- You can make mistakes, just don’t make the same mistake twice.