Pollinator Week is June 17-23, 2013! Six years ago the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. Pollinator Week has now grown to be an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats … [Read more...]
Washington State Department of Agriculture will not limit the use of neonicotinoid insecticides
June 9, 2013 by 1 Comment
After a 60-day review period, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has decided not to pursue rulemaking to limit the use of neonicotinoid insecticides on ornamental plants. On April 8, the Thurston County Board of Commissioners petitioned WSDA to develop rules that would restrict most homeowners from purchasing neonicotinoid insecticides for use on ornamental plants. The rule … [Read more...]
WSU preparing sperm bank to save honey bee population
June 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Washington State University researchers are preparing to use liquid nitrogen to create a frozen semen bank from select U.S. and European honey bee colonies. WSU news post At the same time, the researchers will use genetic cross-breeding methods to produce more diverse, resilient honey bee subspecies that could help thwart the nation's current colony collapse crisis. Semen collection … [Read more...]
Beekeeping in the Pacific Northwest – West Sound Beekeepers
June 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Join us for our Beekeeping in the Pacific Northwest Course Saturday June 29th, 2013 8:30am- 4:30pm at West Sound Beekeepers Association located in Silverdale Washington at Stedman Bee Supplies. This course is for All beekeepers that want to improve their beekeeping knowlege and become a better beekeeper. westsoundbees.org Whether you have just completed an Apprentice Beekeeping Class and mid … [Read more...]
Winter Loss Survey 2012 – 2013: Preliminary Results
May 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Preliminary Results: Honey Bee Colony Losses in the United States, Winter 2012-2013 Note: This is a preliminary analysis. A more detailed final report is being prepared for publication at a later date. Preliminary survey results indicate that 31.1% of managed honey bee colonies in the United States were lost during the 2012/2013 winter. This represents an increase in loss of 9.2 points … [Read more...]
WSBA Board meeting May 11, 2013 Ellensburg
April 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The next Washington State Beekeeper's Board meeting is May 11, 2013 at 11AM, located at the scrumptiously delicious Rodeo City BBQ 204 N. Main St. … [Read more...]
WSBA State Conference October 3-6, 2013
April 10, 2013 by 3 Comments
The 2013 Washington State Beekeepers Association annual conference is October 3 - 6, 2013 at the Best Western Evergreen Inn and Suites located in Federal Way, WA. Stay tuned for more details! … [Read more...]
Thurston County Acts to Protect Honey Bees
April 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Thurston County Commissioners recently asked the Washington State Department of Agriculture to restrict the purchase, sale, distribution and application of the neonicotinoid class of insecticides for ornamental use to persons or entities with a valid WSDA pesticide applicator license. This class of insecticide includes but is not limited to imidacloprid, clothianidin and … [Read more...]
Honey Bee National Winter Loss and Management Survey – reminder
April 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
There are only 7 days left!! The Bee informed Partnership, a joint project among numerous universities and laboratories, is asking you to please participate in the National Winter Loss and Management survey listed below. Both surveys are open only until 15 April 2013. Please click on the link below to take the survey: … [Read more...]
