Influence of land use in the northern Great Plains on honey bee health and pollination service delivery, NPWRC (2015-2017)

Land use within a 4-km radius around 36 apiaries in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota was quantified over two years, 2015-16 and 2016-17. The area (hectares) of Ag (corn, soy, small grains), Grass (pasture, grassland, fallow land, wildflowers, shrub land, and hay land), Wetlands (herbaceous and woody), and Bee crops (alfalfa, canola, sunflower) were quantified around each apiary in each year. Within each apiary, the average change in frames of adult bees among all colonies from June to September was calculated. Additionally, the average September Varroa mite infestation rate, the average adult population size during almond pollination, the count of colonies exhibiting queen events in September, and the count of colonies exhibiting disease symptoms (Chalkbrood, American Foulbrood) per apiary were calculated.