ProtectaBEE Innovation Earns Ontario Start-Up Silver Medal at Global Beekeeping Awards
In a groundbreaking achievement, Ontario-based start-up Best for Bees clinched the prestigious Innovation in Practical Beekeeping Award at the recent World Beekeeping Awards held in Chile. Their cutting-edge ProtectaBEE technology, designed to safeguard hives from threats like varroa mites, secured the silver medal.
Why it Matters: This revolutionary technology, a brainchild of Best for Bees, introduces an all-in-one adjustable hive entrance known as ProtectaBEE. The small entrance and exit cones guide bees through a fungal powder, effectively countering threats like varroa mites. The innovation addresses critical issues faced by beekeepers globally.
Organized by Apimonda, the world's largest bee congress, the World Beekeeping Awards draw participants from over 50 countries, fostering collaboration and sharing of groundbreaking ideas.
Behind the Innovation: Best for Bees' founder and CEO, Erica Shelley, attributes the success of ProtectaBEE to its novelty and practicality. Originally designed for bee vectoring to manage varroa mites, the device's versatility allows beekeepers to direct traffic and ward off pests throughout the beekeeping season.
ProtectaBEE stems from a collaborative research project with University of Guelph professor Peter Kevan in 2020. The technology not only protects against crop diseases but also utilizes bees as carriers for biological control agents and medicaments.
Addressing Industry Challenges: Amidst alarming death losses in Canadian and American beehives, ProtectaBEE offers a ray of hope for beekeepers. Shelley emphasizes the critical role of hive protection in ensuring the health of bee populations, especially with losses reaching as high as 50 percent in recent years.
Looking to the Future: Best for Bees remains committed to honeybee survival. Shelley revealed the company's ongoing efforts to develop new products, including additional fungal powders for varroa mite treatment and monitors for enhanced data collection from beehives.
As the beekeeping community faces unprecedented challenges, Best for Bees continues to lead with innovative solutions, contributing to the sustainability of honeybee populations worldwide.
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