| bristol county beekeepers associationWe Collaborate & Educate to Preserve the Future of Honeybees |
Resources for Beekeepers
Local Resources and Membership Opportunities:
1. Massachusetts Beekeepers Association: Local news, seasonal newsletter, in-person education opportunities
2. Eastern Apicultural Society: Largest non-commercial beekeeping organization in the US, annual conference, newsletters
3. Honeybee Health Coalition: Varroa management, IPM, best management practices, mite treatment decision support tool
4. UMass Ag: Bee school info, workshops, hive management
5. MDAR Apiary Program: Regulations and outreach pertaining to beekeeping, state inspections, honeybee health survey, state apiaries, pollinator protection plan
6. Cornell CALS: Beekeepers courses and certifications, managing pests and diseases, overwintering
7. American Beekeeping Federation: Beekeeping support tools including online learning opportunities, legislative updates, Honey Defense Fund, annual conference and tradeshow
Video Tutorials (YouTube) and Online Beekeeping Communities:
1. University of Guelph - Various relevant “how-to” videos including making splits, swarm and robbing prevention, feeding, harvesting honey, and many more
2. Beesource: Online forum for beekeeping advice, discussion and information3. Beemaster: Online forum for all topics related to beekeeping
Podcasts:
1. Two Bees in a Podcast - UF/IFAS honeybee research extension lab - diverse subjects including current research, monthly management, urban and commercial beekeeping, disease management
Books and Magazines:
1. The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Sammataro and Avitabile, 4th edition (Bee School textbook)
2. Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston
3. The Backyard Beekeeper by Kim Flottum
4. The Hive and the Honeybee by Dadant & Sons5. The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture by A. I. Root
6. American Bee Journal
7. Bee Culture Magazine
Local and Online Equipment Suppliers:
1. Wood’s Beekeeping Supply and Academy, Lincoln RI
2. BetterBee
4. Bay State Pet and Garden Supply, Taunton, MA5. Barkers Beehives and Supplies, Oxford, MA
6. Maxant Honey Processing Equipment, Ayer, MA
7. Beekeepers Warehouse, Woburn, MA
8. Dadant, Hamilton, IL
9. Hudson Valley Bee Supply, Kingston, NY
Other Resources We Have Gathered Along the Way
WINTER MANAGEMENT
William Hesbach, EAS Master Beekeeper presented at our 9/27/22 meeting
READ: Winter Management by William Hesbach.
"Evolution has provided honey bees with an extraordinary ability to thermoregulate and survive in a cold climate"
Published in Bee Culture, The Magazine of American Beekeeping
WATCH: Winter Management, Using Insulation & Ventilation in Temperate Climates.
The discussion includes moisture's role during winter and how insulation can help promote a more natural balance inside a wintering colony. Learn how bees control the internal hive temperature using thermoregulation and what effect that has on the colony. Bill discusses convection flows inside the hive as a precursor to understanding ventilation. He introduces the concept of condensing colony versus the more common practice of adding ventilation.
You will better understand what role ventilation plays in a natural hive environment, where bees control all hive gases.
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