Record Keeping for the Backyard Beekeeper

Keeping good records is something we know we should do but don't always manage to do it. Tracking the health of your hive and the actions you took in previous inspections can help you make the right decision for managing the health and productivity of your bees. Jan will share methods of keeping track, provide brief reviews of some online tools/apps that some folks find helpful, and share sample inspection sheets for attendees to try.

Jan Poston Day is in her eighth year as a beekeeper on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. She is Vice President of the DC Beekeepers Alliance and active in BUMBA.  Jan recently launched a honey and beeswax candle company called Second Story Honey.

Methods of Splitting Hives & Swarm Preparation

During the months of April & May in Maryland we enter the prime time for making splits and capturing swarms. This discussion will cover hive splitting methodologies for creating new hives and preventing swarms. We'll also discuss swarm response and options for swarms post-recapture.

Charles DeBarber is the Animal Caretaker at Baltimore City's Filbert Street Garden. At Filbert Street Garden he manages Maryland's largest community garden beeyard encompassing 25+ hives. He is known as a local "swarm chaser" in the region capturing feral bees each spring.