Cybil Preston, State Apiary Inspector, MDA

Maryland Apiary Statistics, 2021 versus 2020!

The Maryland Department of Agriculture sent out the annual Apiary Inspectors Fund and registration letter in December to all beekeepers who have been active in the last 5 years. Please send in or email me your signed registration if you have not already done so!

The option of scanning or electronic return seemed to be fairly popular and convenient for some: I am in favor, too! I have personally processed a little over 600 electronic returns so far.  We will be doing a second mailing on February 14th...to be sent to those who did not return the 1st registration. We make up our Inspectors lists by the middle of March, and apiary registrations are critical to planning, so please get your registration forms in ASAP! Again, please send in or scan me your updated form, email address is cybil.preston@maryland.gov!

With the long stretches of cold weather (temps too cold for the bees to move to the food stores), I am inspecting more dead outs. Bees that were weak or had smaller clusters were unable to move to the food. The classic signs of starvation are heads in cells and or dead on the inner cover. You could ask, "Why were the clusters so small?" This is an excellent topic of conversation and thought for the off season when looking at this year's management decisions.  

This cold weather has been good for K-9 inspections, however.  So far Mack and Tukka have inspected and certified 2,000 colonies so far this winter!   

Please remember: if you are purchasing nucleus colonies from out of state, you will need to have them inspected prior to them entering the State of Maryland. Also, for nuc suppliers please contact me to get on the inspection request list. 

If nucs are made in Maryland and sold to an out of state beekeeper, they must be inspected before movement across state lines. The beekeeper selling nucleus colonies is responsible for finding out from the buyer where they are going.  

I am also asking bee clubs to vet their lists of suppliers. If you are publishing a list of local beekeepers who are selling nucs or packages, please be sure the supplier is currently registered with the MDA. Just send me your list and I can cross reference it with the database. This is also true if you wish to use the Bee Check voluntary mapping site: We must have a current registration form on file for you to utilize this free service.  

Cybil Preston Chief Apiary Inspector State Apiarist EAS Certified Master Beekeeper Maryland Department of Agriculture 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway Annapolis, Maryland 21401 cybil.preston@maryland.gov (410) 841-5920(O) (410) 562-3464 (M)

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