Table of Contents
Letter from the President
I hope everyone had a good holiday season and is looking forward to a great spring. It was great seeing a lot of faces at the ACES symposium February 1st. Here at the ABA we are working diligently to prepare for the Fall Conference.
I hope everyone’s bees have done well though the cold weather this past month and wish good luck to everyone this spring. Remember, right now is time to check your food stores and queens! If you are a new beekeeper just starting out, please join a local chapter, find mentors and learn all you can. Also please remember here in Alabama we are a very diverse State with three basic beekeeping zones, North, Central, and South with beekeeping “seasons” different in all three. Caring for bees is the same statewide, but if you hear someone talking about their nectar flow or build up in Mobile and you live in Huntsville that may not apply to you, at least not yet.
I hope all have a great productive spring.
Hal Hendrix , President ABA
Letter From the Vice President
HAPBEE NEW YEAR! WOW what a crazy January that we have had…. Who would have thought SNOW in south Alabama and into Florida! Please share your bee yard snow pics with our editor so everyone can enjoy them! I pray that you have stayed warm and healthy and that your bees are too! It’s time to start getting ready for BEE SEASON! I’ve already started preparation for our spring season!
I am SUPER THRILLED to announce that we have four keynote speakers committed for our Fall Conference, Jerry Hayes, Bob Binnie, Garret Slater, Sammy Ramazani and Randy Oliver. We will share more about each of these fine beekeepers later.
The theme for this year’s Fall Conference is BEE WELLNESS, for the keeper and the bees!!!
One of the things I want to bring back to the Fall Conference is a practice of many years ago where our beekeeping folks supplied desserts for our Friday night banquet. This was such a personal touch to our event so please be thinking about what you would like to share with our attendees.
I also want to share some very EXCITING NEWS! Alabama will host the 2026 AMERICAN BEE FEDERATION conference! It will be held in Mobile and more information will follow as it becomes available. We will need multiple volunteers to help with this event so if you’re interested in helping host this please notify me soon.
Now is also the time to consider who you would like to nominate for BEEKEEPER OF THE YEAR! David Ellis will head the committee for our 2025 Beekeeper of the Year!
Lastly, local clubs should be on the lookout for young people they could sponsor for this year’s Young Beekeeper Scholarship.
Ya’ll have a great February and BEE BLESSED!
Allyson A. Andrews
Letter from the Secretary
An Interview with Bruce of Bruce’s Bees
How many of us have turned to YouTube videos for information and guidance with our bees? I certainly have!
Did you know that there is an Alabama YouTube beekeeping channel with over 27,000 subscribers being broadcast from Dothan, Alabama? Bruce Jenne has been YouTubing about beekeeping since 2014, and his subscribers are from all over the world.
I really appreciated him taking the time to share with all of us, and I think you all will, too.
How did you become a beekeeper? Tell us the story of how you started.
I grew up on a farm and have always had a fascination with insects from the time I was very young. I never really considered keeping bees until the Fall of 2012.
I was working as a home health physical therapist and had a patient that had bees. He loved his bees and as we talked about them, I became intrigued. Around that same time our church had a general conference and one of the speakers spoke about bees. He gave some interesting bee facts and then compared us as members of the church to a colony of bees. Each individual contributes what may seem like a small role but it is part of a much greater work.
At the time my dad was battling cancer so the desire to have bees was put on hold for a while. Dad finally succumbed to cancer and passed away in January of 2013. A few weeks later I asked my mom if I could put some bees at the farm and she agreed. Time was moving fast and I knew I needed to get them soon. A friend of mine put me in contact with a local beekeeper that could get me set up with equipment and bees. He put a couple of nucs in 10 frame boxes and a few days later, April 27, 2013, I placed my first two hives full of bees on their makeshift cinder block hive stands and I was a brand new beekeeper. I was hooked instantly and have never looked back.
Where are your bees located?
My bees are all located in Southeast Alabama. I currently have bees in Ozark, Midland City, Newton, Slocomb and Malvern.
How many hives are you currently managing?
Currently around 100+ colonies. I have tried to keep my numbers between the 100 to 150 mark for the past few years. Last year at one point I had a total of 144 colonies with 100 of those being production colonies.
Who are your influences? Who taught you about beekeeping? Are there any books, YouTube channels, podcasts, people, or classes that have been particularly helpful in your journey to being a better beekeeper?
I have had so many people to help me along the way. My first mentor was David Eldridge. He sold me those first two nucs and coached me through those first few years. He was always willing to help even when I was a slow learner.
I have had so many other folks to help me since then as I have grown into more of a sideliner and turned the hobby into a business. Davis McLaughlin is a large sideliner in the area and he really helped me grow and see more of the commercial side of things. Davis encouraged me to give almond pollination a try and so I sent some bees with him for a few years. He helped me see things on a larger scale and I was better able to scale up and treat my beekeeping business as just that, a business.
Tyler Walker is a local commercial beekeeper here in Southeast Alabama and he has become somewhat of a mentor of late for me as well. I have learned a lot from him. He and Davis have both been willing to help me figure out ways to become more efficient, a skill I am still trying to master.
There are many others that have had a big influence on me. Some of them are Youtubers. Two of my closest friends not only in beekeeping but in life are Greg Burns at Nature’s Image Farm and Brian Koper at Castle Hives. We have a weekly live chat called The Stream Team Beekeeping Chat and we have the opportunity to discuss bees and spend time with the beekeeping community on a regular basis. Mike Barry is a beekeeper in Louisiana. He has a similar style of keeping bees and lives in a similar climate. He also has a YouTube channel. We have become close friends and often touch base and talk about bees. There are many others both on and off YouTube that have helped me along the way, far too many to name here. Some have become friends and others I do not know personally, but I am grateful for them all.
As far as books? I read Beekeeping for Dummies when I was getting started and have read several books about many different topics, but I learn best by getting into the bees and trying different things. When I see a problem or have a question I talk to others and seek guidance. By doing so I have slowly but surely become a more effective and efficient beekeeper, though I still have a long way to go.
When and why did you start your YouTube channel?
I had a table saw accident in 2014 which ultimately cost me the index finger on my left hand. I started the YouTube channel during that recovery time as a way to document and share my story with others.
How often do you post videos?
I try to post at least one video per week but sometimes the frequency increases or decreases depending on availability of content, time of year and time constraints.
How do you decide what new topics of your videos will be?
Content ideas vary. Sometimes I start with a plan and follow through with that plan. Other times I see something really interesting and just pull out the phone and record. And yet other times it is coordinated with others such as some of my live chats, interviews and pre-arranged visits with friends either at their location or mine.
I’ve noticed that beekeeping is really popular on social media and YouTube. Why do you think that is? What is so appealing about beekeeping?
Bees are interesting to many people whether they actually want to become beekeepers or not. They are fascinating creatures for so many reasons, and most people do not know much about them. I think people enjoy beekeeping videos because there is so much to learn and every time a hive is opened or humans come into contact with these little creatures there is an adventure in the making.
Some people want to learn techniques for keeping bees. Others just want to learn about bees. What better way to share beekeeping with the masses than to bring a camera along, film the adventure, and share?
What is in the future for Bruce’s Bees? What are your hopes and plans?
I plan to stay the course with the bees and the channel. I really do not know what the future holds but hope to have continued success raising bees and growing my beekeeping business.
I also hope the channel will continue to grow. The real hope is to be able to have a positive influence in the world and to help others along the way. I love to see others succeed.
What do you hope viewers will get from your videos?
To be entertained as they see what it is really like to be a beekeeper, and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.
Do you have advice for other beekeepers who want to start YouTube channels?
Just hit record and give it a try. A phone is fine. Be patient and learn along the way. Try to get a little bit better with each video. You never know what might happen!
Summary:
Bees are amazing little creatures and there are so many lessons to be learned. But probably one of the most incredible blessings I have received as a beekeeper are the relationships and friends I have gained. I literally have friends from all over the world! All because of these amazing little insects.
My friend Greg Burns has a saying that we often use during our live chats, “the bees are the conduit to the people.” I could not agree more! He also asks the question, “What is it about those bugs in a box?” That is a question that each of us has to answer in our own way. I would encourage you to think about that question and see what you come up with.
I see something divine in the bees. I can see God’s hand as I work with the bees and I marvel at what they are able to accomplish! I hope that each of us can figure out why we keep bees and take the time to learn about them and become better beekeepers. I hope we can all appreciate the community of which we are a part. And I hope that we can all figure out how to use the bees as a conduit to serve others and help make this world a better place.
Save The Date! Meet our Keynote Speakers!
BEE WELL – The KEEPERS & BEES
Jerry Hayes – Editor of Bee Culture Magazine, beekeeper
Bob Binnie – Owner/Operator of Blue Ridge Honey company, commercial beekeeper
Sammy Ramazani – Bee Friendly Horticulturist and beekeeper
Garrett Slater – Professor and Honeybee Etymologist from Texas A&M University
Randy Oliver – Biologist, creator of ScientificBeekeeping.com, commercial beekeeper
In addition to this great slate of speakers there will be a number of breakout sessions on a wide range of topics with something for everyone from beginners to those with vast experience. More will be announced at a future date.
Young Beekeeper Update
Our 2024 Scholarship winner, Grace McCready has been busy this winter! The photos show Gracie with her parents and mentor, Susan Rigsby of Wiregrass Beekeepers Association. (Mentor) Dennis Geer took the photos. THANK YOU to our sponsors, Mann Lake, Rossman Apiaries, Foxhound Bee Company, and Lookout Mountain Honeybees, who made this possible. The young beekeeper scholarship is designed to equip and train future beekeepers.
The 2025 Young Beekeeper Scholarship Application Package has been updated and added to alabamabeekeepers.com. You may view it HERE and are encouraged to share the link with young people between 13 and 20 who are willing to commit two years to learn beekeeping.
Department of Agriculture Notes for February 2025
There have been rumors going around the state that tracheal mites are coming back. Our department has not seen any symptoms such as bees crawling on the ground unable to fly, bees not clustering on cold days, or the classic K wing (disjointed wings forming the letter K). Even if those symptoms were found it’s important to know that other pathogens can cause the same symptoms which is why dissecting bees is necessary to validate the presence of tracheal mites.
Talking with bee inspectors from our surrounding states, they are not seeing tracheal symptoms as well. That being said, should you have colonies exhibiting any of the above symptoms call me so we can dissect the bees at my bee lab. If you have no symptoms and are still concerned I can still look at them at the lab. I need roughly 50 live bees either from the brood area and/or those crawling around on the ground in a clean, sealed container with rubbing alcohol. Please separate the symptomatic bees so I can test them first.
And you can always perform a prophylactic treatment with menthol or formic acid such as Formic Pro. If you are already using formic acid at least once a year in late fall or late winter you should be fine. It’s my understanding that Apiguard may not be as effective so results from that treatment are questionable. The best time to treat is late fall or late winter before nectar flow. You can use 50 grams of menthol crystals in a small porous bag per colony. If temperature is below 80F place on top corner of brood frames. If above 80F place on bottom board. 30 days will complete the treatment. If you need a health certificate for selling nucs or queens you must call your local apiary inspector to schedule an inspection. As always, if you have any questions, we will do our best to answer them.
Phillip Carter, Apiary Inspector
Plant Protection Division
AL Dept of Agriculture and Industries
1445 Federal Drive
Montgomery, AL 36107-1123
334 414-1666
phillip.carter@agi.alabama.gov
Alabama Master Beekeepers Annual Conference
Candidates and Masters:
The Alabama Master Beekeepers Program will hold annual classes and testing July 24 – 26, 2025 at the Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center in Clanton, Alabama. Registration is now open online. For more information about the Alabama Master Beekeepers Program, please see the Master Beekeeper Program tab on the ABA website. This year’s program will consist of two days of instruction by Auburn University Bee Lab researchers and staff as well as Alabama Master Beekeepers. Testing will be held on the final day of the program.
I look forward to seeing you in July!
Patrick McCalman
Chairman, Alabama Master Beekeepers
This and That
Cell Punch Queen Rearing: Rear queens using the cell punch method. Kit with complete instructions including photographs using the tool. Kit includes several items to get started plus a tool that is hand fabricated from raw materials. Send $20 plus $4.50 dollars for shipping to: Wil Montgomery, 1401 Lakemont Dr. South, Southside, AL 35907
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Lilac Flower Infused Honey
Spring is near and with it wonderful light honey that’s perfect for creating a multitude of wonderful flavors. These instructions from A Farm To Keep use lilac blooms which should be available in north and central Alabama. Other edible blooms may be infused using the same process. We recommend a small test batch if you’re trying a bloom for the first time.
Ingredients:
3 cups honey
20 lilac blossom heads, cleaned, stems removed and leaves removed
Instructions:
After the lilac blossoms have been picked and washed, set them aside, add the honey into a pot, and slowly heat it until it is just boiling. You can also set it to low heat and bring the honey to at least 100°F or until it has become a light syrup consistency.
Next, Scoop 1 cup of lilac blossoms and pack them into a glass jar that has been washed and sterilized. Using a clean jar when making herbal honey infusions is important to ensure molds and fungus do not grow while your honey steeps.
Carefully pour honey over the flowers until they are submerged and completely covered with the heated honey. Fill to the top of the jar, just below the lid line.
Place your honey infusion in a cool dark location away from direct sunlight for at least seven days to allow the flowers and honey to steep. Allow it to steep for up to 4-6 weeks for best results. While the floral honey steeps, give your jars a good shake every few days to keep the fresh lilacs submerged in the honey. This will keep any unwanted contaminants from forming or growing in the jar.
After steeping, remove the lid from the infused honey jar and pour it through a mesh sieve into a new clean jar to remove the delicate flowers and debris.
Your end product will be delicious honey with subtle floral notes that preserve spring’s vibrant freshness.
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CONGRATULATIONS to the ASUS HONEY SHOW WINNERS!
The Honey Tasting was very popular and the winners are as follows:
First Place Winner: Michael DeAssis
Second Place Winner: Brian DeAssis
Third Place is an unexpected 3-way tie! Bill Sommerall, Aubrie Powe and Lisa Recter
Welsh Honey Show Winners are as follows:
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