Missouri leads the nation with a concerted effort to increase monarch habitat, according to Brent Vandeloecht, Mo. Dept of Conservation and the Chairman for the Collaborative Working Group within Missourians for Monarchs Collaborative chairman. Monarch population numbers have decreased 90% in … [Read more...]
TED Talk – Why Bugs Matter
Our own Charlotte Wiggins presents a TEDx Talk on why bugs matter... Charlotte Ekker Wiggins is a lifelong gardener, but it was not until she started to keep honeybees in her garden that she began to understand the scope of the pollinators, down to honeybees providing 1/3 of the world’s food … [Read more...]
…Wins National Award!
The National Association of County Agricultural Agents has awarded Missouri’s Master Pollinator Steward Program with a National Search for Excellence Award for Environmental Quality. The Environmental Quality award recognizes the development and implementation of an outstanding extension … [Read more...]
Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program
Missouri State Beekeepers Association (MSBA) is now working with the Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program out of University of Nebraska at Lincoln to bring resources as well as classes to Missouri beekeepers. Started under the direction of Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, assistant professor and extension … [Read more...]
How to Start a MO Master Pollinator Steward Program
Interested in helping pollinators, including honeybees? There is a brand new program in Missouri designed to do just that. Your local bee club can sponsor the program, get programming for half a year and generate revenue for club operations. The Missouri Master Pollinator Steward Program officially … [Read more...]
Interview with the Stars!
This is a short discussion between the President (Cory Stevens) and the Past President (Clayton Lee). … [Read more...]
The Times…My, How They’ve Changed!
On the MSBA website’s homepage there is a section for “History Buffs”. If you check it out you’ll be able to find archived newsletters of MSBA’s activities going back about forty years. If you made it to the Fall Conference in Kirksville this year I encourage you to check out the newsletter of … [Read more...]
Watch Your Mites!
Don't believe in varroa mites? Here is a video Charlotte Ekker Wiggins took with a macro lens inside of drone brood from a third year Italian swarm colony. She regularly removes drone brood as part of her varroa mite management. On this particular frame, varroa were noticeable only in a 4-inch … [Read more...]
Searching for Landmines!
The Economist had a very interesting post a couple of days ago about training bees to find landmines and a new app that can tell you what's wrong with your bees. It can tell if you have hive beetles, varroa, foul brood, if they're getting ready to swarm, etc. Read the article for … [Read more...]
Pollen!
Your bees should be finding lots of pollen now... Check out this little video clip of a happy bee! … [Read more...]