Education Day June 7, 2025

June 7 , 2025

Speaker: Joe Komperda

Topic :“Bee-Engaged - An Average Joe Beekeepers Guide to Mites and SHB (Subtitled: Pest Monitoring & Control – What You Need to Know)”.

Without oversight and vigilance, two major honeybee pests can derail most beekeepers’ efforts to effectively manage their bees. Since the late 1980’s the Varroa Mite has become a constant challenge for overwintering bee colonies but another pest, the Small Hive Beetle (SHB), has also contributed to the loss of weakened colonies.

 In this presentation, the Average Joe Beekeeper will talk about what you need to know to monitor and control these parasites NOW to boost your chances of successful colony growth and survival. In two separate sections, Average Joe will provide a brief overview of each organism including their characteristics, identification and lifecycle. Armed with this knowledge, he’ll suggest monitoring methods and controls that can be used to combat these creatures.

 Average Joe will not only discuss the available softer, gentler treatments for each nuisance but also touch on the hard synthetic chemicals that can be utilized as needed based on the escalation methods outlined in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy.

 By understanding these pests and their control, you should be able to improve your bees’ health and productivity and build a larger cluster as we start early preparations for successful overwintering.

This presentation is intended for newer beekeepers but provides information applicable to all beekeeping levels. Hopefully, by attending this presentation, you’ll be able to “Bee Calm and Buzz Along” through the current bee season and those to come!

Time: 10:30 am to 12 pm

Lunch will be provided.

Cost: Free Event

Beginner beekeeper questions and answers at 10am to 10:30am