Growing Small Farms: Chatham County Beekeepers' Association 2007 SChedule

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Website created
and maintained
by Debbie Roos,
Ag Extension Agent.

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www.chathambeekeepers.org

Photos and text by Debbie Roos, Agricultural Extension Agent.

Queen bee laying eggs.

Why Should You Care about Honey Bees?

The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a vital component of agriculture in North Carolina. Honey bees and the products of the hive, including honey, pollen, and bees wax account for approximately $10 million annually in the state. However, the products derived directly from honey bees are only a small part of their true value. As bees visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen, they transfer pollen grains from one flower to another, which fertilizes them and produces fruit and seeds. Without visits from bees, many crops would have lower yields and produce foods of lower quality. In North Carolina, many of the economically important crops such as cucumbers, apples, blueberries, and melons are dependent on honey bees for pollination and account for $100 million every year.

Honey bee approaching Carolina silverbell (left) and honey bee on ironweed (right).

Unfortunately, the fate of the honey bee in North Carolina is in question. Because of pests and diseases that have been introduced from other parts of the world, the honey bee population has declined dramatically in the past 20 years. It has been estimated that 98% of the feral (wild) colonies have been eliminated. The numbers of managed colonies have also suffered, dropping in number from a high of 180,000 in the late 1980s to approximately 100,000 at present. Due to the lack of feral colonies, it is of great importance to maintain the numbers of managed honey bee colonies to ensure adequate crop pollination.

Benefits of Membership in the Chatham County Beekeepers’ Association (CCBA):

Monthly meetings and an email listserv to learn all about beekeeping and stay up-to-date on successful beekeeping methods

Field days and other events to learn hands-on techniques

A chance to make new friends and join a network of beekeepers

Benefits of Membership in the NC State Beekeepers’ Association (NCSBA):

Three issues of the North Carolina Bee Buzz newsletter
Beekeeping wall calendar
The Yellow Book—a directory and handbook of the NCSBA with contacts, articles, bee supply dealers, support organizations, and much more
25% subscription discount to the three major beekeeping publications: American Bee Journal, Bee Culture, and The Speedy Bee
Reduced registration fee to the two annual NCSBA meetings
Membership in the largest single-state Beekeeping Association in the U.S.!
Discounts from selected beekeeping supply dealer

Membership for the county association is $5.00 per year. Membership in the NC State Beekeepers’ Association (NCSBA) is $15.00 per year. You do not have to join the NCSBA to join the Chatham County chapter, but it is a great group and we encourage you to consider joining.

For more information about the CCBA, contact President Colleen Kendrick at 919-542-0384.

This page last updated October 25, 2009.