Table of Contents
Letter from the President
Welcome to spring, the season of pollen , build up, and swarms. I hope all of you are doing well and made it through the winter with minimal losses even though the average loss this year is reported to be between 55-75%. Now is the time to be keeping an eye on your build up. Know how much room and brood you have. Keep a check on queen cells in your hives. If you haven’t re-qeened your colonies keep an eye on them as old failing queens is one of the main reasons for colony loss.
We here at ABA are diligently working on planning our fall conference. Plans are coming together well and we are looking forward to having a great meeting this year. Please keep an eye out for details here and on social media for details.
May I also ask that, as many of you are members of local bee clubs in your area, tell others about the ABA and encourage others to join the ABA.
Good luck to everyone this year with your success in beekeeping whether you are a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out.
Hal Hendrix , President ABA
Letter From the Vice President
GOOD BEEUTIFUL SPRING!
I hope that you all got a little winter rest! SPRING IS HERE! And BEE SEASON is in full swing! Praying this is an AMAZING year for our bees and their products and us as KEEPERS!
Bees are ramping up in their hives, queen production is in full swing and we have come out of winter in a hurried rush!
ABA has the Master Beekeepers Symposium coming up in July 24-26! It will bee a plethora of bee knowledge!
Our wonderful Fall Conference planning continues. I am on the lookout for someone who would like to present a class or two on cooking with honey. Please contact me if you are interested. 334-799-2254!
Ya’ll have a great April and BEE BLESSED!
Allyson A. Andrews
Letter from the Secretary
Hi everyone-I’ve recently had the opportunity to assist some new beekeepers in their apiaries, and it has been such a great experience for me.
I remember how much it meant to me when someone (Jeff Moss) came out to help me when I was getting started, and I encourage you all to reach out to new beekeepers and help them if they want it. If you are a new beekeeper, reach out to more experienced beekeepers in your local club. You can get so much out of just watching how someone else keeps bees.
Experienced beekeepers, if you don’t want to travel to mentor someone, invite new beekeepers to come to you. You’ll get free help, and they’ll get a hands-on education. I think we can all benefit from sharing our knowledge and helping bees together.
I want to remind you all to think about who in your local club might be a good candidate for Beekeeper of the Year. Remember to get your nominations in as soon as possible. Send your
nominations to David Ellis at ellisbuzz@bellsouth.net.
Have a great bee season!
Amy Seiber, Secretary
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.
Regional Queen Rearing Classes
Alabama has a long history of queen production and this year there are multiple opportunities for you to learn to make queens too.
Enterprise State Community College classes start May 5, and meet weekly on Monday nights ending no later than June 28. Instructors are Richard Woodham, Lynn Hughes, Dwayne Sayers, Mary Sample, and Phillip Carter. The course fee of $50 includes the book Queen Rearing Essentials by Dr Larry Connor. Classes will be held in the Sessions Science Building (front left building) Room SE111 of ESCC, 600 Plaza Drive, Enterprise, AL 36330. Contact Richard Woodham, 334-389-1563, for more information.
In addition ACES has three remaining workshops, in Badlwin County, Auburn University and Hartselle to learn queen production through grafting. Registration costs $40 which includes Queen Rearing Essentials by Dr Larry Connor and lunch for the one day course. Don’t delay! Registration is limited to 20 people for each workshop. Use the QR code shown below or visit https://www.aces.edu/go/4697 to register.
Department of Agriculture Notes for February 2025
The State of Alabama has two new apiary inspectors. Billy Mullins based in Madison County, and Brandon Hargraves based in Baldwin county. If you are in those regions give them a call if you need help or tohave them speak to your local bee club. Our department is available if you need a health certificate to sell nucleus hives from ADAI or a general inspection. If you are producing queens to sell, please contact us because we are starting a new project to test drone pupae for Africanized Honey Bee genetics. There is no charge for this service and it certainly works to your advantage to monitor your queen genetics.
Surprisingly we haven’t seen any European Foulbrood coming out of winter. And thankfully no American Foulbrood. High viral loads from varroa continue to be an issue from our National Honey Bee Surveys so make every effort to keep varroa levels as low as possible, like 0 or 1 mite/100 bees. We can demonstrate an alcohol wash to monitor varroa levels as well as our method that significantly reduces the chance of washing a queen.
Lastly, if you are concerned about tracheal mites, even though our lab testing has yet to find any, you can treat with menthol. If you are having any issues with your colonies don’t hesitate to contact us for an inspection.
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
YOUNG BEEKEEPER SCHOLARSHIP REMINDER: The clock is ticking! The first deadline where students submit essays and their Scholarship Application Package to their local beekeeper association is June 15, 2025. Local associations are responsible for the second part of the application process. Between June 15 and the next deadline, July 15, the local association assigns mentor(s), completes their part of the application package and mails it to the address listed. The winner will be announced in the August 15 issue of The ABA Stinger.
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Help Auburn Help Us! Dr Geoff Williams is leading the Annual U.S. Beekeeping Survey for Alabama. He has requested that all beekeepers complete The Survey and share it with other beekeeper friends to do the same.
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Many Thanks to Rebecca Fritschle (ABA Master Beekeeper, 2018) for sharing these bee veil bloopers from her early days as a beekeeper.
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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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