Willamette Valley Beekeepers Association.

Do you have enough bee books?  Is there room for one more on your shelf? If yes, consider Raising Resilient Bees by Eric and Joy McEwen. (Chelsea Green Publishing. 2023. 254 pages). Eric and Joy McEwen live on a 35 acre farm in the remote Illinois River valley of SW…

Robber bees are foraging honey bees gone bad! Robbing bees take the fast track to riches – they  invade another colony to steal insufficiently protected stored honey reserves or sugar water being fed to a colony other than their own.  Robber bees aren’t trying to destroy another colony, rather they…

Spring – the busiest bee season! Like the other four seasons (swarming, supering, harvesting, fall), spring  comes with varying activities for beekeepers depending on weather conditions and our beekeeping objectives.  Beekeeping is a continuous learning experience. In spring, bee colonies need to grow their colony population and rebuild their stocks…

Beekeepers MUST work in the spring to keep mite numbers low in September and October. The concept: if we flatten the mite growth curve in the spring their eventual population will not be as large and the harmful viruses they foster will mean less fall colony collapse and overwinter colony…

Many WVBA members probably saw the news about the development of a honey bee vaccine to protect colonies from American foulbrood. The most recent good news was that the USDA has issued a conditional license for two years for vaccine use. The vaccine, PrimeBEE, should be available for purchase in…

WILLAMETTE VALLEY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION 2023 Bee School What: The WVBA is offering an introduction to beekeeping course in February 2023. We will cover equipment needed, where to obtain bees, how to “work” bees, pests and diseases, and much more. When: Monday evenings February 6, 13, 20, and 27 from 7:00…