by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program Blueberry study Priyadarshini Chakrabarti Basu, Lauren Baugus, Ethan Eaton, Nathalie A. Steinhauer & Ramesh Sagili 2025. Pollen Production and Nutrient Composition in Two Northern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars: Implications for Pollinator Nutrition. Agriculture 15(5):461 DOI: 10.3390/agriculture15050461 Abstract Specialty crops like blueberries depend … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program OMB Journey Student Profile – Alex Alexander One item the OMB Advisory Committee has suggested is that we advertise and tell the stories of Master Beekeeping program participants as a recruiting tool to enroll more Getting Started and Apprentice students in … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program How are your colonies wintering? The annual PNWsurvey is now open. https://pnwhoneybeesurvey.com/ (click on !Take the Survey!). It extends mid-March through April. After you have had a chance to open your colonies and assess your winter success, please take the time … Read more
Remembering Sara Miller 1952 to 2024 The day after Christmas Sara Miller passed away after a long battle with breast cancer. With her passing, the Central Oregon branch of the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program lost a dedicated mentor, instructor and regional representative. Sara got into beekeeping when her husband wanted a beehive. He wasn’t the … Read more
As commercial beekeepers in the USA inspect their bees after winter in preparation to transport over 90% of the nation’s managed honey bees to pollinate California almonds, they are discovering alarming colony losses. These losses are severe, broad, and may impact food security through inadequate pollination services. Survey results are still accumulating (deadline was Feb … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program Drones in early spring While only up to 14% of workers found in a colony originate from other colonies, up to 89% of drones in a colony drift. Drones have been shown to carry mites with them on mating flights and … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program Saving Monarch butterflies The western monarch population, the individuals we see each year in Oregon, has declined more than 95% since the 1980s. This butterfly population doesn’t fly to Mexico each fall but instead only a couple of hundred thousand head … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program Bee the change We are aware that bees need flowers. Sometimes the discussion focuses on what bee-what flower. Studies are certainly mixed on how introduced species or populations (think Africanized honey bees for example) might be affecting the native population (in … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program Apimondia halts honey awards over ‘huge fraud’ in global supply chain Apimondia, the biennial international beekeeping congress says it not judge nor award a prize for honey next year, the first time it has not done so. Instead Apimondia, the International … Read more
by Dewey M. Caron, Communications and Content Specialist for the Oregon Master Beekeeper Program Best Bees Are you looking for “talking points” about Bees? For a presentation perhaps or to entertain friends and family? Good solid information about bees. Bruce Rutter and Elsa Scott of Best Bees have gathered 155 Amazing Facts about Bees and Beekeeping, organized … Read more