West Virginia designated the honeybee as the official state insect in 2002.  Bee pollination is critical to plant and human survival - beeswax and honey are just surplus gifts from this tiny wonder of nature.  The plant world expends a lot of energy attracting bees and other insects with brilliantly colored flowers and sweet nectar (nectar is produced solely to attract pollinating insects).  The honeybee is recognized as an official state symbol in seventeen states, primarilly because honeybees play such an important role in agriculture.

Honeybees live in hives of up to 80,000 individuals.  A hive consists of one queen bee (who can live up to 8 years and lay over 1,500 eggs per day), a small group of male drones (on hand to fertilize a new queen on her nuptial flight, should one be produced), and the remaining vast majority of sterile female worker bees.

Young worker bees are called house bees - they construct the hive, maintain the comb, care for the eggs and larvae, tend to the queen and drones, regulate temperature, and defend the hive.  Older workers are field bees - they gather nectar and forage for pollen, water and plant resins used in hive construction.  Worker bees have an extra stomach and special baskets on their hind legs to transport the pollen.  Empirical evidence suggests that the honeybee "dances" to communicate the location of a nectar discovery to other honeybees.  Worker bees only live about 6 weeks in summer months, but honeybees born in fall survive until the following spring.

2012 North Central West Virginia Beekeepers Meetings

Regular Meetings - Doors open @ 6:30 p.m.

Meeting from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

January 23rh

What's Going on Inside the Hive in the Winter - Jason Bach: 

Latest Buzz - Bill Kapphan.

Refreshments & Door Prize - Steve Hamrick.

February 11th

Beginners Bee School 8am - 3pm

Snow day possibly February 18.

4-H Recreational Complex.

February 13th

Swarm Prevention and Spring Management - Wade Stilner, Bee Inspector

Latest Buzz - Don Simmons.

Refreshments & Door Prize - Harold Davis.

March 19th

Protein for Bees, Formic Acid, Pollen Plants - Dr. Jim Amrine.

Latest Buzz - Greg Wolfinger

Refreshments & Door Prize - Greg & Connie Wolfinger

April 14th

State Meeting sponsored by NCWVBA at 4-H Recreational Complex, Harrison County.

Speakers -

Debbie Delaney, from Delaware

Grant Gillard, from Missouri,

Randy Oliver, from California

April 21st

Field Day - Mark Goodwins apiary on Sun Valley Road.  1pm - 3pm

May 21st

Laying Workers - Miachel Staddon and Ron Zirkle.

Latest Buzz - Tammy Clifton.

Refreshments & Door Prize - Carolyn Jones.

June 18th

Bee Diseases - Joyce Frey, Bee Inspector

Latest Buzz - Randi Helk.

Refreshments & Door Prize - Howard Dodd.

July 23rd

Picnic at Lake Floyd, hosted by Bill and Elaine Kapphan, starting at 6pm

August 20th

Varroa Management and pollen collection - Steve Hamrick.

Bill Kapphan's ice cream machine will be present to enjoy.

Latest Buzz - Sharon Robinson.

Door Prize - Sharon Robinson.

September 17th

Hive Body Parts and Equipment - Bill Kapphan.

Latest Buzz - Mike Staddon.

Door Prize & Refreshments - Tammy Clifton.

September 21st & 22nd

WV State Beekeepers Association Fall meeting @ Jackson's Mill

October 15th

Bee Behavior/Biology - Larry Helk

What Happened to Your Bee Yard this past year.

Question and Answer.

Latest Buzz - Harold Davis.

Refreshments & Door Prize - Larry and Randi Helk.

November 5th

Thanksgiving Banquet and Elections - 6 p,m.