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Public interest in honey bees and beekeeping tends to evoke questions or concerns. Local apiary specialists have determined some frequently asked questions (FAQ's). If you have a question, you are invited to review the FAQ's and answers below for the information you are seeking.
Honey Bees and Beekeeping in San Diego County What's the Buzz About Beekeeping? 10-Steps to Beekeeping Abejas Melferas y Apicultura en el Condado de San Diego Por qu se oye Tanto de la Apicultura?
The University of California Cooperative Extension San Diego has developed this PowerPoint presentation resource to assist you with extending basic information about beekeeping in San Diego County to others.
Honey Bee Biology Hive Maintenance Seasonality Swarming Honey bees are one of the few insects that have a social structure, a caste, which consists of a single reproductive queen (only egg layer in the colony), numerous drones (males) depending on time of year, and a small number to about 60,000 wor...
Photo Source: Ben DiAnna Malnutrition and lack of water are frequent causes of apiary decline. Placing hives in locations near plentiful and diverse flowering plant resources will help bees naturally obtain the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
To get started with beekeeping, it is important to acquire protective clothing and appropriate equipment to protect yourself and the bees. Many beekeeper suppliers offer beginners kits with the necessary basic supplies. Below is a list to get started.
History of Beekeeping Economic Importance Our Environment Honey Bee Products The practice of maintaining honey bee colonies is termed beekeeping or apiculture (from the Latin word for bee, apis).
County of San Diego Bee Ordinance (PDF) Apiary Program (Website) (County Agricultural Commissioner/Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures) California Laws Pertaining to Bee Management and Honey Production (PDF) (California Department of Food and Agriculture) California law requires beekeepe...
Africanized Honey Bee in a hive. Source: CISR, UC Riverside Africanized honeybees (AHB) were first detected in California in 1994 and since have become the majority of feral bee colonies found in nature.
