Bee populations are declining at an alarming rate once again this year, and there’s no clear reason why.

Last winter, U.S. beekeepers reported 31% losses in their colonies, up from 21% the previous year. Canada, meanwhile, reported an annual loss of 35% in the last three years, according to the Canadian Honey Council.

While the possible reasons — which range from cooler weather to the bee-killing Varroa mite — vary widely, one local beekeeper may have found a way to fend off the decline.

Ben Hogan, of Hogan’s Honey and Maple Products in Bath, said it all comes down to paying attention, even though he’s the third generation in a family of beekeepers.

“You have to know what’s going on around you. You have to monitor your bees,” said Hogan, who only lost 8% to 9% of his hives this past year.

Beyond paying attention to the bees themselves, he said that beekeepers must also keep up-to-date with the tools of the trade.

“You have to do all the little things that are going to help you out,” Hogan said. “You have to be aware around you of what can be used, what can’t work anymore. You have to be on the Internet, watching and listening to what people are using.”

This is useful when controlling the Varroa mite population — pests that burrow into the bodies of bees.

“Some people don’t keep a close enough eye on the mite populations, so they’re not prepared for the worst,” he said.

Hogan keeps about 900 hives in 26 bee yards. By keeping a close watch on the mite’s “hotspots” he knows which hives to treat first, to prevent the pests from spreading.

He said they used to use formic acid along with oxalic acid as backup in the fall months.

Now he said they use a pesticide strip called apistane, inserted into the hives after the honey is ready to be taken off. It’s not his first shot with the strip, though.

In the early 1990s, Hogan said he used the apistane strip to try to ward off mite infestations, but it ended catastrophically — 50% of the hives were lost as the mites were resistant to it.

“That’s what we used, the only thing we could use,” he said. “We tried it again because the resistance will start to fade again after time. It worked and it was quick-reacting.”

According to Hogan, who said some area apiaries had lost 60% to 80% of their bees, other beekeepers can benefit from keeping aware of what can help them.

“I know of guys who have been in the business for a long time, but if they don’t keep (up with) the new technology that’s going on, you’re going to get burnt,” Hogan said.

For Gord Campbell, of Seldom Fools Apiculture in Harrowsmith, his natural way of beekeeping has led to good results.

“We’re not having any of these mystery die-offs,” he said.

The apiculture doesn’t use any of the typical treatment on the bees. In their fifth year of beekeeping, they keep 13 hives.

“The strong bees survive and we breed from them,” he said.

According to Campbell, the winter loss rate for beehives has been close to 10-12%. In recent times, it’s been up to 30-35%.

However, he’s similarly at a loss for the exact reasons.

“We’re not really sure why,” he said. “It doesn’t seem to be chemically-related. They just seem to decline more quickly.”