Welcome to the Monongalia County Beekeepers Association

Interested in Beekeeping???
Learn how to keep honeybees

Principles of Hive Management and Disease Management
Control of bee pests and diseases
Equipment needed for beekeeping
Harvesting honey
All facets of beekeeping

Monongalia County Beekeepers Association in West Virginia meets the first Tuesday of every third month.  Located at the Evansdale Campus of West Virginia University's Agriculture Science Building room G 101.  The easiest way to find us is to park at the loading dock located behind the building.

We are located in Monongalia County, West Virginia.  We are a non-profit beekeeping club with membership open to the public.  Our members come from the area surrounding Morgantown, WV that share a common interest in honey bees and beekeeping.  Most of our member keep bees as a hobby, but some our our members are involved in beekeeping as a side business.

Contact Information:

Mark Becilla, President
304-296-4158
mbecilla@gmail.com

Dr. Jim Amrine, VP
jamrine@wvnvm.wvnet.edu

Letter from our President:

Today is December 27th, almost the last day of 2008. It is a very unusual day in that it is 70 degrees with almost a clear sky and a light warm breeze. There are usually a few days in winter that it is  possible to check the bees in the yard and actually inspect below the inner cover. Today is a prime example. I see bees moving in and out of the hives, and yes there is an occasional bee with pollen on its legs; probably from early maple bud. Some of the hives are taking out old dead summer bees and debris. All appears well. Upon closer check of one hive I find  the bees are all within the top super. Here I place  a good sized block of softball sugar with spacer on top of bamboo straws to provide space above the cluster. This particular hive may have some difficulty surviving; we are only halfway through the winter. but I am giving them a chance.  I will attempt to find some extra honey frames to replace the sugar on the next warm day. It is important to note that last year all of my hives were well into early January but by mid March I had lost six hives. From what? Bad queen? Nosema? Mites? maybe, but not from starvation. All of the hives had adequate honey. Some things we can partly control, some things will happen even with of hive management.
Well, it's a great day to be out in the bee yard and this weather sure makes me think that Spring 2009 is not to far away. The expected high tomorrow is 30 degrees. Nuts!

Be a weather watcher says Ann Harmon of Bee Culture. You will be a better beekeeper.

Mark Becilla  President of the Monongalia County Beekeepers