Maine State Beekeepers Association
We love honeybees - you should too
by Sam(antha) Burns, UME Master Gardener, Somerset Beekeepers President With National Pollinator Week just around the corner, this is a good time to take a moment to think about all of the creatures who are so crucially important to the diversity of life we experience on this Earth. Plants and pollinators have evolved together over the last 130 million years; today 80% of the flowering … [Read more...]
Review by Geoff MacLean Last year, I safely removed honey bee colonies from five homes around Greater Portland, but sure wish I’d had the opportunity to read a great book on the subject first! Let’s take a look at what I believe is the first comprehensive guide to honey bee colony removals, written by Cindy Bee and Bill Owens, masters at the craft of honey bee colony … [Read more...]
Photos by Jim Blanchard from his 2009 trip to Cornol, Switzerland, where he happened upon Aheniry Amseutz… … [Read more...]
![Swarm Catching: A Fun [Club] Opportunity?](http://mainebeekeepers.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/geoff-maclean-swarm-catching-5-125x150.jpg)
We're now just a month away from the kickoff of our honey bee swarm season in Maine. With a little preparation, and the right attitude, we can have fun rescuing some of Mother Nature's most healthy, robust colonies. Without our help, they are probably in for a short lifespan as a feral colony in a small tree, your neighbor's attic, or even worse, stuck out in the open come late … [Read more...]
Photos from some of Geoff MacLean’s recent Honey Bee removal projects … [Read more...]
by Matt Scott Greetings from Florida! Following is what I have been observing or have seen the past few months: Spring has really sprung down here—the red maple bloom is all over and now the oaks are in full bloom, producing pollen like mad. By the time you read this it will be spring and I will be back in Maine by April 15th to check on my bees and all my winter losses, like others I have … [Read more...]
The Maine State Beekeepers Association (MSBA) was well-received at this year’s March 22nd gathering with its first-ever banner displays, informative hand-outs and ever-popular honey sticks. Suzanne Brewer, Kevin Fabian and Erin MacGregor-Forbes were on hand to inform state legislators and staffers about our organization and the plight of our State Insect, the Honey Bee. … [Read more...]
Bangor Daily News David Allen Penney, 56, died peacefully March 13, 2011, with his family by his side at his home. He was born Jan. 21, 1955, in Hartland, a son of Richard and Carolyn (Dunphy) Penney. He graduated from Skowhegan High School, Class of 1974. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, hunting and working with his honeybees. David was a self-employed woodsman, and also worked at … [Read more...]
by Richard McLaughlin, YCBA President At our last club meeting in March, a writer from a local newspaper approached me with a few questions about our organization for an upcoming article. One of which was regarding how many hives are managed by our members in York County. Since the YCBA (York County Beekeepers Association ) didn’t have that number in its membership database, I … [Read more...]
Do you have bees you need removed?
Have no fear. Our Honey Bee Swarm Removal Team can help ASAP, or direct you to the right person in your area.
Members of the Maine State Beekeepers Association are indicated with a bee icon … [Read More...]
This document is intended as a reference and standard for honeybee management in Maine, with particular emphasis on urban/suburban … [Read More...]
Annual Bee Schools are sponsored by Local Chapters, Adult Education Programs, and sometimes in cooperation with the County Extension Service. These … [Read More...]
When Disaster Strikes
In late winter, beekeepers often find themselves thinking about their bees. Apprehension is most common when the previous fall had dismal honey production and when houses creak and snap on bone-chilling nights during January and February. Unfortunately, there isn’t much northern beekeepers can do during the dead of winter. At best, newspaper can be added on top of fiberboards of live hives that … [Read more...]