• I recently attended a workshop at Auburn University with the Apiary Inspectors of America. We are receiving education and training and starting a dialogue about regulatory action on the invasive Tropilaelaps mite. Hoping and praying this invasive pest does not make to the U.S.A!
• We are also seeing a resurgence of tracheal mites. Symptoms of tracheal mite infestation are not unique, and can look like Parasitic Mite Syndrome from Varroa infestations. These include K-wings, crawling bees, shortened life span: dying away from the colony. Colonies typically appear normal through fall and die off during winter confinement.  
• Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) Adults are in almost every county now. The honey bees will work/forage on the Spotted Lanternfly honeydew. In some areas where SLF is plentiful, the colonies were able to gain winter weight. Some beekeepers choose to extract the fall flow for honey sales.  
• If you are moving bees in and out of the state, please acquire a permit through MDA and continue to monitor and look for egg masses on your hives and equipment. 

• I am seeing a lot of hungry bees. This drought and lack of nectar flow is causing our colonies to be light on honey stores for winter. Fall feeding has caused problems with robbing and attracting yellow jackets. This fall has been tough with all the above.  
• I received a lot of calls about “queenless” hives, BUT dearth and/or Varroa treatments commonly cause queens to quit laying. You can have a Queen present and “broodless” colonies. Feeding to stimulate the queen to lay her winter bees is leading to robbing and vespula pressure.
• We received some calls about possible Northern Giant Hornet sightings.  We fielded significantly fewer than in years past. Yellow jackets seem to be the problem this year, not European Hornets.  
• Field Watch/Bee Check: This Voluntary beehive mapping tool is going strong. There are more beekeepers registered than any other crop!
• Thank you to all the beekeepers that participated in the USDA/APHIS National Honeybee Survey. We were able to complete all 24-sample sites. AGAIN, thank you to all who were willing to participate. Anyone willing to participate in 2025, please let me know. You must have 8 colonies located in the same apiary to qualify. Did I mention that I appreciate your willingness to participate?! 
• If you have or are starting a beekeeping management business, and especially if you are being paid to apply ANY miticides to someone else's colonies, you MUST have a pesticide applicators license. KEY WORDS HERE:  If you are being paid, and if you do not own the bees. This does not apply to mentor/mentee relationships. This applies to Apiary management businesses.  
• Mailing of the 2024 apiary registration form will be in December.  Please update, sign and return your registration forms as soon as possible.  There are many ways to return this form! USPS, Scan + email, Fax.

• We caught 1 honey bee swarm at the port of Baltimore, and and swarm at BWI airport: both were eradicated. The swarm traps are monitored and the lure is refreshed bi-weekly. We are looking for any Apis species and their parasites that may have hitched a ride on shipments. (Like Apis cerana or Tropilaelaps)
• EAS was a huge success!  Super fun and educational!  Kudos to all who participated in putting on a phenomenal conference. 
• Final Note: The HUMAN Apiary Inspectors are finished for the season, and  the CANINE Disease detectors are getting ready to start back to work (as soon as we get some colder temperatures). We have been training and preparing to get back into the field, and are working on scenting and stamina now. Maryland's AFB dogs will be back into inspections as soon as the weather hits 50 degrees F and below. We will work on commercial beekeepers moving to California first. Mack officially retired on July 1, 2024. He worked 9 winters for the Maryland Department of Agriculture! 

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

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