Granville County Beginning Beekeeper Saturday Academy!

Granville County Beekeepers are offering a Saturday Academy, 3 Saturdays of Classes, on Feb. 16, March 9, and March 23, from 9AM-12:30PM. On Sunday, March 31 we will offer a review session and Certification Exam, from 2PM-5PM. There will be a Field Day, April 6, from 9AM-3PM -Location TBD.

Location for Saturday Classes & Exam:

Granville County Expo & Convention Center
4185 Us Highway 15, Oxford, North Carolina 27565
Cost: $95 per person or $125 for family
Cost includes one First Lessons in Beekeeping text book, Granville County Beekeepers Club membership, and one NC State Beekeepers Association membership.

The schedule is as follows:
February 16: Granville Expo Center

Introduction to beekeeping, 9AM-10:30AM

Bee Anatomy, 10:45AM-11:30AM

Bees as social insects 11:45AM- 12:30PM

March 9: Granville Expo Center

Beekeeping equipment & Getting started – 9AM- 10:30AM

Plants for Bees in NC 10:45AM- 11:30AM

Products of the hive 11:45AM-12:30PM

March 23: Granville Expo Center

Diseases, Pests, and Treatments 9AM-10:30AM

Varrora mites 10:45AM– 11:30AM

Seasonal Management 11:45AM- 12:30PM

March 31: Granville Expo Center

Exam Review and Written Certification Exam 2PM – 5PM

April 6 : Location TBD

Field Day & Equipment build day 9AM – 3PM

Bee Jubilee!

The Third Annual Granville Bee Jubilee is coming soon, on June 23rd! Come celebrate healthy pollinators at the Granville County Expo Center! We will have both indoor and outdoor exhibits, beekeeping demonstrations, speakers, and plenty of bee-related vendors from around North Carolina.

The activities start at 9AM and go to 4PM. Look for a list of speakers in the coming weeks, as well as a schedule of activities.

We have some great donated items for the annual GCBA Silent Auction, and we will be posting preview pictures of items on our Facebook page. So get prepared, and like out Facebook page to get a preview of all of the wonderful items we will have up for bid!

BEE CUT OUT FIELD TRIP!

This Sunday April 29th, 1pm-6pm!
Interested in seeing how a cutout is done? Meet us at
3580 Herbert Faucette Rd, Bullock, NC 27507

The gentleman who owns the house will provide the tools. We just need to provide the people and the bee supplies.

We will be drawing to see who gets to keep the bees, so bring a box and frames, maybe a container for some honeycomb if there is any. If you have a bee vac, please bring it, and any other supplies you think we will need. There is no seating or table, so if you’d like to sit, BYO chair. We are not planning a picnic, but BYOB or snacks, if desired. Click here for the Facebook event

Bee Swarm? Don’t Panic!

https://cdn.modernfarmer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bee-swarm.jpg
An example of a bee swarm

With Spring, lots of honeybees are starting their warm-season foraging. And with that foraging comes expanding bee colonies, and the potential for bees to need to leave their hive for a larger space to raise their young and store up food for the winter. When bees leave a previous hive, and settle while looking for a new one, they congregate in a large mass, called a swarm.

  • Don’t panic! Unless they are protecting their hive, swarming bees usually don’t sting unless provoked.
  • A swarm is the natural reproduction of a bee colony.
    Usually March-June, but can be anytime until October
  • A swarm is usually “hanging” on an item in a clump -softball size to bigger than a basketball.
  • Bees may also make a hive in odd spaces.
  • DO NOT spray with water, chemicals, or pesticides.
  • Call a beekeeper ASAP to re-home. When in doubt, google!
  • Be prepared to answer questions relating to swarm size, location, property owner, etc.- and take a picture!

A Year of Honey- Annual Raffle!

The Granville County Beekeepers Association has begun selling raffle tickets for their YEAR OF HONEY raffle.  The winner will receive 12 products of the hive, including honey and other products, donated by Granville County beekeepers.

Tickets are $1 apiece, or 6 for $5.  The winner will be drawn at the Bee Jubilee on June 23rd, at 2 pm.  To purchase a ticket: find a local beekeeper, e-mail granvillecobeekeepers@gmail.com, find our public Facebook page, or purchase online!

March Monthly Meeting

The Granville County Beekeepers Association will meet Wednesday, March 7th at 7:00 pm in the Granville Expo Center on Hwy 15.  NOTE: the date is different from our usual first Thursday meeting date!)

The topic of the night will be Spring Hive Prep, with Jason Cirioli.  There will be a Bee Jubilee planning meeting at 6PM, before the 7PM meeting.

Mark your calendars for April 5th – Spring Conference Topic Review.