Apiary Inspections
Hive Inspections ; Kamloops & Cariboo
Provincial Apiary Inspector for the Thompson & Cariboo region, Gary Martin is available for apiary inspections.
If you require or would like to have him inspect your colonies, you should get in touch with him by emailing or calling:
Email: mgary654@gmail.com | Phone: 778-257-5099
INSPECTIONS:
Selling or buying used equipment?
Got something suspicious in your hive?
Gary Martin is the Provincial Apiary Inspector for the Thompson region. You can book an appointment to have him inspect your bees, deadouts, or used equipment by contacting him directly. Call 778-257-5099.
If you are moving used bee equipment or bees between apicultural regions of BC or interprovincially, you are required to have these inspected by a provincial apiary inspector who will issue a permit.
If you are selling bees or used bee equipment, the Animal Health Act, Bee Regulations require an inspection and permit in advance.
You can also have any colonies that died overwinter inspected to help determine the causes of mortality.
In BC you needn’t be an inspector to submit samples to our provincial lab. This service is FREE and CONFIDENTIAL.
Here are some pointers for sampling. Send:
• Bacterial “toothpick” brood & wax samples for things like American Foulbrood and European Foulbrood go in plastic, toothpick and all.
• Bee samples go in paper bags. Collect 100 total as a composite sample from a few hive entranceways. To prevent mould and to make sure that the bees are dead, be sure to freeze bee samples for 3 days prior to shipping.
Send the package by mail to:
Attn: Paul van Westendorp, P.Ag.
Provincial Apiculturist
BC Ministry of Agriculture
1767 Angus Campbell Road
Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3
Further tests can be conducted by the National Bee Diagnostic Centre in Beaverlodge, Alberta. See their website for fee schedule and services.