News from the Apiary Inspectors, February 2020

Cybil Preston, State Apiary Inspector, MDA Phone 410-841-5920, Fax 841-5835, Cell 410-562-3464 2019 Statistics: Maryland has 2,161 beekeepers registered, in 2,716 apiaries and 15,923 registered honey bee colonies. Mack and Tukka have inspected and certified 2000 colonies so far this winter! Apiary registration letters In December, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Apiary Inspectors Office sent out letters and registrations to all beekeepers who have been active during the last 5 years. Please do send in or email your signed registration if Read More …

Inspector’s Report

What a crazy weather year! I was hearing about swarms all the way into September…WEIRD!!!!

Unfortunately I am again seeing a large number of “Fall Crash or “Fall Dwindle.” Without opening the beehive you’d think it is a fairly strong because robbing bees can make the hive look industrious. Some symptoms are more than a handful of dead bees in front of the hive with normal activity inside: upon inspection no bees at all meaning no brood no nothing. Some of these hives were treated for mites some were not. My diagnosis is that this is mite/viral load-related. Read More …