Our local 4-H junior beekeepers recently met with their mentor (and Gilroy Beekeepers Association member) Mike Stang. They wanted to share their experience learning about honey bees and how to be a good beekeeper. In the words of their 4-H adult sponsor, Sara Cutrignelli: "The goal is to have our project beekeepers learn hands on. … Continue reading 4-H Meeting In San Martin
Swarm School 2019
Swarm School is back by popular demand, presented by Gilroy Beekeepers Association! The class is designed for those who wish to learn how to safely capture bee swarms with minimum impact on people and the environment. GBA members who successfully complete the class will be eligible to add their name to the Gilroy Beekeepers Association … Continue reading Swarm School 2019
2019 Santa Clara County bee registration
The 2019 Santa Clara County bee registration form is now available. Click here to download a PDF copy. Send a $10 registration fee* and this form to: Santa Clara County Division of Agriculture Attention: Agriculture Biologist 1553 Berger Drive, Building 1 San Jose, CA 95112 *The $10 fee is per beekeeper, not per hive nor location.
Thank you Humble Bee
...for the generous donation of jackets, veils and gloves for local beekeepers and for supporting our members!
Friendly bees on my hand
This month's photo comes courtesy of Kathleen Stang, our Association's Secretary and bee-tamer extraordinaire! Thinking of handling your own bees? Come and meet Kathleen and other members of Gilroy Beekeepers Association at the 2018 Santa Cruz County Fair from September 12-16 - look for The Bug Barn!
Pollination 101
Pollination is the process of transporting pollen from the anthers to the stigma of a flower. Most plants require pollination to bear seed or, as the case may be, the fruit that contains the seed. While this can be accomplished by the wind, the plants benefit greatly from the insects where wasps, flies, birds, bats … Continue reading Pollination 101
Honeybee on Dusty Miller
This month's photo comes courtesy of GBA member, Jaye Kendal. If you'd like to take a closer look at bees, the Gilroy Beekeepers Association will have a booth at the following country fairs in 2018: Santa Clara, August 2-5 Santa Cruz, September 12-17 San Benito, October 4-7
Packages and Splits Class
How to install packages of new bees and how to split existing hives before they swarm.
UC Davis Bee Lab visit
A visit to the UC Davis Laidlaw Bee Lab and Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven with our friends from Syngenta.
The history of the honey bee
Bees that live in a hive and produce honey are not native to Coastal California. According to John Muir, in his 1894 book The Mountains of California, it wasn't until 1853 that "The first brown honey-bees brought to California are said to have arrived in San Francisco (when) a bee-keeper by the name of Shelton … Continue reading The history of the honey bee