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Photo courtesy of Rich Wieske

Rich Wieske, MBA President

Opening Welcome and Updates on the MBA

Rich was a lifelong camera operator and media production company owner. He considered himself a quiet introvert who hated meetings. That all changed when he discovered mead and apis mellifera. Now Rich declares “the bees made me do it!” A self-proclaimed “tree hugger", he enjoys hunting for mushrooms and has even traveled around the world on a ship. In his spare time, Rich enjoys making candles and chocolate truffles.

Rich serves as the current president of the Michigan Beekeepers Association (MBA) , the Educational Director of the Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association (SEMBA), and the Vice President of the Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS). He loves going to conferences and talking with beekeepers: "some of the greatest people in the world!” And yes, Rich has visited all 36 bee clubs in the state of Michigan!

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Jamie Ellis

Dr. Jamie Ellis 

Dr. Jamie Ellis is the Gahan Endowed Professor of Entomology in the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida. He has a BS degree in Biology from the University of Georgia (USA) and a PhD in Entomology from Rhodes University in South Africa. At the University of Florida, Jamie has responsibilities in extension, instruction, and research. Regarding his extension work, Jamie works with assorted clientele through diverse programming such as the UF/IFAS Bee College and the UF/IFAS Master Beekeeper Program. As an instructor, Jamie supervises PhD and masters students. Currently, Jamie and his team have over 30 active research projects in the fields of honey bee husbandry, conservation, and ecology.

You can listen to Jamie on his popular podcast “Two Bees In A Podcast” at https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/honey-bee/podcast/

Presentations:

A Year in the Life of a Honey Bee Colony

Honey bees live in perennial colonies. One result of this is that they have to survive yearly fluctuations in temperature, rainfall, forage availability, stressors, etc. Survival and reproduction are the ultimate goals of any organism and honey bee colonies are no different. In this lecture, Dr. Ellis will discuss the yearly life cycle of a honey bee colony and what it does to survive given the ever-changing conditions it faces.

The Science of Pollen Substitutes

Beekeepers feed pollen substitutes to their honey bee colonies to mitigate a lack of natural pollen resources in the environment. Despite their widespread use, it is unclear if pollen substitutes are beneficial to colony health and productivity. In this lecture, Dr. Ellis reviews the literature regarding the use of pollen substitutes. Specifically, he discusses the consumption/palatability of pollen substitutes and the impact of pollen substitutes on colony productivity, pest and disease susceptibility, and bee physiology.

Research on Sustainable Beekeeping

In many ways, beekeeping is harder than ever. Colony loss rates are high in many areas around the world. Old pests and pathogens continue to cause problems. New pests and pathogens threaten colony health. In this climate, university faculty are challenged to address the problems facing honey bees in an ever-changing colony health environment. Herein, Dr. Ellis will discuss what he and his team are doing to address bee colony health, with an eye toward improving the sustainability of beekeeping in the U.S. and beyond.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Morgan Carr-Markell

Dr. Morgan Carr-Markell

Morgan Carr-Markell is a beekeeper who studies bee behavior and teaches at Saint Mary's College in Indiana. She received her master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her PhD in entomology from the University of Minnesota, where she worked with Marla Spivak. She has studied honey bee waggle dance communication, pollen preferences, and habitat preferences for 15 years. Currently, she is developing ways to automatically identify pollen grains in Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana to better understand pollinator preferences there.

Presentations:

If  You Plant It, Will Bees Come?

Bees need abundant, diverse flowers, but modern landscapes often have either few flowers or few flowering species. Many people want to know best practices for bee-friendly planting, including which species to plant, what area to cover, and how dense plantings should be. This talk will cover the results of several studies looking at each of these aspects of flower patches and their effects on the likelihood that honey bees will visit and advertise those flowers to their sisters. It will end with implications both for how to help honey bee colonies and minimize risks of competition with other pollinators.

What Mapping Waggle Dances Can (and Can't) Tell Us

Honey bees have a unique ability to communicate the direction and distance of high-quality resources to their sisters. Humans can eavesdrop on these communications to get a sense of where honey bees find high-quality food sources. Mapping dances can tell us many things about the attractiveness of different habitats and the effects of seasonal change on foraging success. However, error in the dance signal leads to uncertainty when mapping resources advertised with dances. This talk will cover recent advances in understanding waggle dance communication and practical ways to apply that knowledge.

Photo courtesy of Candace Casados

Candace Casados

Candace Rose Casados is a dedicated beekeeper with 15 years of experience and a Master Beekeeping certification in progress. Her passion for honeybees began in childhood and has blossomed into a lifelong commitment to understanding and supporting these vital pollinators.

As a holistic nutritionist, Candace specializes in incorporating the medicinal and nutritional resources created by honeybees into her practice. She deeply values the intricate connection between honeybees and humans, advocating for sustainable practices that benefit both.

Through her work, Candace educates and inspires others to appreciate the essential role bees play in our ecosystem and the many ways their contributions enrich human health and well-being.

Presentation:

Honey Bees: A Journey Through Time and Cultures

Explore the history, symbolism, and significance of honey bees around the world and discover how their influence has shaped human history and culture throughout time.

Photo Courtesy of Ryan Dinehart

Ryan Dinehart

Ryan Dinehart has worked for USDA APHIS Wildlife Services as a Wildlife Specialist for five years. In 2023, he began a new role as part of Wildlife Services’ Congressionally funded Non Lethal Initiative, collaborating with cooperators to implement innovative strategies for mitigating black bear and beaver damage concerns. Ryan has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Biology and a Master of Science in Conservation Biology from Central Michigan University.

Presentation:

Fencing for Apiary Protection

As Michigan black bear populations grow, preparing beekeepers to handle interactions is important. Electrified fencing has proven to be an effective deterrent to keep black bears away from beehives. This presentation will provide an overview of electric fencing plans, supplies needed and the expected costs for beekeepers looking to protect their apiaries.

Photo Courtesy of Ana Heck

Ana Heck

Ana Heck is Michigan State University's apiculture extension educator. She learned beekeeping in Nicaragua while working with a nonprofit organization that led rural development projects. She later worked with the University of Minnesota Bee Squad and Michigan State University's Department of Entomology before joining Extension.

Her role engages beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, and home gardeners to improve the health of pollinators. Ana holds a master’s degree in public policy and a graduate minor in entomology from the University of Minnesota.

Presentation:

Responding to Honey Bee Pesticide Incidents

Acute pesticide kills of honey bee colonies can be surprising and devastating. Beekeepers can learn how to monitor colonies for signs of pesticide poisoning and options for reporting and testing. This presentation will cover high risk scenarios and how to talk with farmers, land owners, and other pesticide applicators about

strategies to reduce pesticide exposure to bees. The presentation will also help beekeepers identify steps to respond to pesticide kills to bees that occur.

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Hubbard

Charlotte Hubbard

Charlotte, a beekeeper since 2008, now manages about a dozen colonies. She and her late husband Marshall routinely ran 30 – 50 colonies, with excellent overwintering survival. Michigan’s 2018 Beekeeper of the Year, Charlotte is the lead instructor for KVCC’s beekeeping program, a board member for the Kalamazoo Bee Club, and author of numerous articles and books on beekeeping, including a chapter in Honey Bee Medicine, a veterinary textbook. All profits from her writing and charity go to feeding the homeless in SW Michigan. Learn more at www.hubbardhive.com.

Presentation:

The Way Forward

A review of best practices and common pitfalls to help prepare you for successful early-stage beekeeping.

Photo courtesy of Jan Lawson

Jan Lawson

Jan started beekeeping in the late 1960s when I was 14 years old. He really didn’t know what he was doing, so he learned by trial and error, which was much easier back then. There were very few bee clubs and he didn’t have a mentor,so when he got himself into serious trouble, Roger Hoopingarner was just a phone call away. Roger was always patient and rescued Jan many times. These days Jan is searching for the magic number of bee hives. That number where beekeeping is fun, especially on those hot summer days. He can occasionally be found at the Dadants Bee Store where he “works” part time. If he’s not there, he’s in the garden or in the bee yard.

Presentation:

The First Two Months

An overview on preparing for bees arrival, installation, and key initial activities and checks for about the first two months of beekeeping.

Photo courtesy of Janet Macunovich

Janet Macunovich

Janet Macunovich is an author, educator and 40-year designer of simple, enduring and creative garden plans. She's reached thousands of gardeners both amateur and professional through books, articles, conferences, radio- and internet forums and her free website, GardenAtoZ.org.

Now retired from tending client gardens, Macunovich is devoted to education - her own as well as others'. She says, "I'll never stop learning. If what I say helps you it's because I am your fellow student."

Presentation:

Native and Natural Groundcover: Mass Plantings for Busy Bees

Covering ground is key to reducing work and making a landscape work for you. Plants that blanket the soil with color and texture, smother weeds and complement other aspects of the landscape can also be chosen for a succession of bloom that will keep pollinators buzzing. The best plants to create that cover are native or can naturalize on your property. Here is a comprehensive look at how to choose and use those groundcovers to best advantage, with a line-up of plants for every niche.

Photo courtesy of Camila Martins

Camila Martins

Camila started beekeeping as a hobby in 2019 by taking classes at SEMBA. She lives in the Michigan thumb where her bees have plenty of space to forage without concern, as plants grow wild and naturally. She has a passion for sharing knowledge and fostering a feeling of inclusion in the community. In 2024, she joined MBA as the Ambassador Coordinator to connect mentors who want to share their knowledge with people in their local communities who want to learn about bees and other pollinators. It is such a rewarding experience for everyone involved!

Presentation:

Bee Curious: Educate Kids About Pollinators and Beekeeping

Are you a beekeeper who wants to share your love and passion for honeybees and other pollinators with children? Then come join this session to learn about Bee Curious, a children's education program of the MBA. We will show how you can become an ambassador in your local community and what resources are available to you for presentations. You will learn about the beautiful achievements that the Bee Curious program has had in the past year and how you can help make it even better in 2025!

Photo courtesy of Dr. Meghan Milbrath

Dr. Meghan Milbrath

Dr. Meghan Milbrath is an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at MSU, where she studies honey bee diseases, focusing on transmission risk and treatment. Dr. Milbrath is also a beekeeper - she began working bees over 25 years ago as a hobby, and since 2011, has run The Sand Hill Apiary, a small livestock and queen rearing operation in Munith, Michigan. She studied biology at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and received degrees in public health from Tulane University and the University of Michigan, where she focused on environmental health sciences and disease transmission risk. Meghan worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Michigan State University, studying nosema disease and in the honey bee lab at Swedish Agricultural University.

Presentations:

Bacterial Diseases in Honey Bees: Do You Know What to do if Your Bees Get a Bacterial Disease?

In this talk we will cover how to recognize, manage, and prevent the two main bacterial diseases in honey bees: American foulbrood and European foulbrood. You will learn what you can do to minimize the chance of seeing these diseases, and will be introduced to resources you can use to diagnose and treat bacterial diseases in honey bees.

Using Oxalic Acid to Manage the Varroa Mite:  Vaporizer, Dribble, Shop Towels, Oh My!

Oxalic acid is one of our most confusing tools for managing the varroa mite. In this talk we will try to provide some clarity by introducing the latest science and data - including work at MSU using shop towels, dish towels, and the new product, VarroxSan. You will leave with a better, evidence-based understanding of how we should be using oxalic acid to manage the varroa mite.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Anthony Meyer

Dr. Anthony Meyer

Dr. Meyer teaches courses at GVSU related to environmental and religious studies, notably ENS 311: "Honey Bees and Social Impact” and REL 300 "Issues/Theories", exploring the intersection of religion, ecology, and honey bees. He also manages the campus apiary as part of the Sustainable Agriculture Project. In addition to his own sideline operation of 80 colonies, Dr. Meyer works as a field specialist/consultant on honey bee health for large-scale commercial beekeepers. He is a member of the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA), serves on the MBA Tree Committee, and owns/operates a local tree service company, specializing as a climbing arborist.

Presentation:

Swarm Behavior (and Stories): Towards Understanding Those Little Buzzers

This presentation offers an overview of swarm biology and behavior, environmental and seasonal cues, and engages a few perplexing questions about the fascinating dynamics of colony increase and division, from swarm cell building to establishing a new nest. The talk concludes with some personal blunders, close calls, as well as tips and tricks from a climbing arborist for retrieving swarms.

Photo courtesy of Mike Sautter

Mike Sautter

Mike has been a beekeeper for 25+ years. As an active sideline beekeeper with over 100 colonies, Michael’s knowledge has been acquired by doing hands-on work with the bees, including swarm collecting and removals, research, networking and attending numerous local & regional seminars. Several years ago after attending a Larry Connors queen rearing course in Detroit, he began rearing quality queens and nucs. Recently he earned his Kentucky Queen Breeders Certificate. In the last 15 years he has obtained breeder queens from various locations throughout the United States.

Michael is passionate about helping others in their quest for sustainable beekeeping, by providing support, encouragement and education, as well as being a source for quality locally bred queens and nucs.

Presentation:

Nucleus Colonies: Are They Essential for a Healthy Apiary?

The nucleus colony can be the "Swiss army knife" with it"s many uses and applications. We will explore some of these uses and learn to take advantage of all the positives a nucleus colony can benefit a beekeeper in maintaining, and sustaining a healthy apiary. So, join us as we cover everything from making a nuc, honey, brood and comb production, splits, swarms, and even wintering a nucleus colony!

Photo courtesy of Dr. Sue Stejskal

Dr. Susan Stejskal

Dr. Susan M. Stejskal, LVT, PhD, is a board-certified toxicologist (retired), licensed veterinary technician, and Special Deputy and Human Remains Detector (HRD) canine trainer and handler. With more than 30 years of educational and professional experience, Stejskal continues to participate in land and water HRD canine searches through Michigan, central Midwestern United States, and Canada. Stejskal has been a member of the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) and is a certified regional detector judge for USPCA. She is also a member of the International Association of Identification, the Disaster Assistance Recovery Team (Michigan), Crisis Response Canines, and two national committees tasked with developing best practice and federal standards for detection canines. Stejskal’s work in toxicology and pathology and her experience as a canine handler led to the development of practical forensic science training and text books for law enforcement personnel.

Presentation:

Canine Olfaction: The Under-Discovered Detection Tool

This presentation will highlight the dog’s olfactory system and capabilities as a locating or detecting tool. Basics of olfaction, how detection dogs are trained, along with the challenges of training a biodetection canine. The focus of this presentation is the training and challenges of training a dog to locate Paenobacillus larvae spores, the cause of American Foulbrood. This will be followed by a demonstration with a trained detector canine.

Photo courtesy of Jason Towers

Jason Towers

Jason Towers is a 8th year beekeeper, President of the Fremont Area Beekeepers and graduate of the MSU Hero’s to Hives program.

Presentation:

Bee Biology

Understanding basic bee biology is key to success. Jason will review lifecycle, roles, castes and other concepts, explaining why these are critical to keeping bees successfully.

Photo courtesy of Richard Wahl

Richard Wahl

Richard Wahl has fifteen years experience learning beekeeping the hard way starting in 2010 with no mentor or club association and a swarm catch. He has been a self-sustainable beekeeper since 2018. Richard writes monthly articles for "Bee Culture" magazine, gives presentations at local clubs and conferences and teaches beginning honey bee husbandry and hive management as part of the Southeast Michigan Beekeepers Association (SEMBA) Bee School staff." He is currently a member of the 7 Ponds Beekeeping Club, SEMBA, and the MBA.

Presentation:

Getting Started in Beekeeping

This presentation covers approximate costs, equipment needs, and hive maintenance.