More than a third of Ontario's bee population died last winter

Bee inspector Neil Trent of Scientific Ag Co., inspects a frame of bees to assess the colony strength near Turlock, Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. (AP / Gosia Wozniacka)

Figures released by the provincial apiarist line up pretty closely with Ontario beekeeper losses reported earlier by the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists.

The Ontario report has commercial losses at 38 per cent and small scale producer losses at 37 per cent.

The factor cited by the most Ontario producers for winter loss was starvation at just over 19 per cent, followed by weak colonies in the fall and poor queens, both at about 15 per cent.

About 10 per cent of the beekeepers blamed their losses on chronic pesticide damage while six per cent blamed acute pesticide damage.