In 2017, the West Virginia Beekeepers were award a SARE Grant of $15,000 to study the pollen foraging habits of bees in their part of Appalachia. The work was completed in 2018, and the WVBA wants to share its results with neighboring beekeepers! The objective of this project was to provide for the first time, in an easy-to-understand format, a set of fact-based charts describing the relative abundance of each plant type in its contribution of pollen to honey bees Read More …

MSBA once again has short sleeved “I’m A Maryland Beekeeper” t-shirts available for sale in sizes S-M-L-XL-2XL-3XL-4XL (though there are limited numbers of larger sized shirts)! We have sold out of long-sleeved shirts, but are interested in whether there is demand during the summer months: please email beeline@mdbeekeepers.org if you would be interested in ordering a long-sleeved shirt, and we can plan a future order. The shirts are 100% cotton and cost $15 plus $4 shipping. No shipping is charged Read More …

MSBA is delighted with the many new educational offerings from UMD’s Bee Squad, led by Mark Dykes! Here’s the latest hands-on opportunity for Maryland (and DC!) beekeepers! More classes will be added to those already complete or scheduled, and the UMD Bee Squad is interested in feedback on content, scheduling, and more. The sessions are limited in size and require a small fee.

“In a black jar contest, all that matters is how good the honey tastes to the judges.” That’s a lot different from the approach beekeepers take to standard honey judging! In fact, most beekeepers spend little time at all evaluating the taste of the honey their bees produce, and expanding their understanding of the connection this represents between them, their bees, and the blooming world around their apiaries. Black Jar contests focus directly on the taste of beekeeper-produced honey, and Read More …

Michael Embrey, who taught, worked beside, and befriended beekeepers across Maryland and the world, passed away on May 18, 2019 after sustaining injuries from a serious car accident two weeks earlier. Hundreds gathered for a service of remembrance on Thursday, May 30 at the University of MD Wye Research and Education Center in Queenstown. There is a full obituary and condolence page online.  There are very few beekeepers in Maryland who were not helped directly or indirectly by Mike’s many decades Read More …

MSBA recently developed a new flyer for use at public events, and is making it available for use by clubs and individuals doing pro-honey bee outreach. The state association will be printing up some copies for distribution, as well. Please contact the MSBA secretary at beeline@mdbeekeepers.org if you are interested in using this flyer! It is available as a high resolution PDF by clicking this link.