In Person Meeting

Join us for our monthly in-person meeting, including a new beekeeper Q&A from 7:00-7:30.

The speaker will be Sung Lee: Hive Management according to Sung Lee the Bee Charmer. You'll learn how to read the frames to forecast when to add or remove supers; when to split and why; what to do with honey- or pollen-bound frames; a comparison of plastic vs. wax foundation and foundationless frames; behavior differences with 10 frames vs 8 frames; and the reason and outcome of different settings of deep and medium boxes.

Join us for a presentation by Michael Joshin Thiele, Executive Director of Apis Arborea. He'll be speaking on Resilience from the Wild: Rethinking Beekeeping Through Nature-Inspired Models.

This will be a compelling presentation on the future of honeybee health in the face of crisis. As of early 2025, U.S. commercial beekeepers have reported catastrophic losses, with survival rates plummeting to just 20%. In stark contrast, wild honeybee populations are thriving—with survival rates nearing 80%. Apis Arborea will share groundbreaking research from the Galbreath Wildlands Preserve and introduce LocApiary, a regenerative, place-based model that biomimics wild conditions to support resilient local bee populations. Discover how this approach offers hope for backyard beekeepers and the wider pollinator community through ecological integration and community collaboration.

(New beekeepers, please come for the “newbee” round table meeting from 7:00-7:30 -- get your questions answered in a small, friendly group.)

Join us for our monthly meeting! Our speaker will be Jennifer Radtke with Inspecting Tips & Techniques for August.

Jennifer is a co-founder of Urban Farm Oasis (formerly BioFuel Oasis) with over 19 years of beekeeping experience. She’s been teaching beekeeping classes for 13 years, and has published several articles in the American Bee Journal. She’s also a former Vice President of the ACBA and the author of a book on Bay Area beekeeping.

(New beekeepers, please come for the “newbee” round table meeting from 7:00-7:30 -- get your questions answered in a small, friendly group.)

Join us for our in-person monthly meeting! Our speaker will be Emily Helton, Apiologist at the Honeybee Discovery Center in Orland California. She's also the author of the HowExpert Guide to Honey Bees & Beekeeping book.

The topic will be The Superorganism: One Body One Mind. A honey bee colony is more than just a collection of individual bees—it functions as a single, integrated “superorganism.” Much like the organs and systems of the human body work together to sustain life, the bees within a hive each perform specialized roles that keep the whole colony alive and thriving. This presentation will explore how division of labor, communication, and interdependence within a colony mirror processes in the human body, offering a fascinating perspective on collective life and cooperation in nature.

(New beekeepers, please come for the “newbee” round table meeting from 7:00-7:30 -- get your questions answered in a small, friendly group.)

Note that this meeting is on Thursday rather than the usual Tuesday. Join us for our in-person monthly meeting! Our speaker will be Ann-Marie Benz, Horticulture Programs Manager for the California Native Plant Society. She'll be speaking about Buzz-Worthy Blooms: California Native Plants for Honey Bees.

Join us for our annual pot-luck end-of-year celebration and officer elections.

Ukrainian filmmaker Lana Shapoval presents footage of the Minefields Honey project in action.  An introduction will be provided by Caverlee Cary, a local Ukraine advocate.

Join us for a presentation by Phil Stob on bait hives! What makes an effective, practical swarm-trap in the East Bay? How can we save our neighbors the drama of dealing with swarms? How can we easily capture swarms from our own hives? How can we get free local bees?

Phil has the answers. He's a Fremont beekeeper and 10 year ACBA member who has had exceptional success luring colonies to his traps (75 in the last four years)! Phil gives most of his swarms to local beginner beekeepers.

Social time start at 7:00, and the formal meeting begins at 7:30... but Phil will also host a friendly discussion for new beekeepers from 7:00-7:30. If you're a new beekeeper, show up early and ask your questions!

Join us for our monthly in-person meeting!

Our speaker will be past ACBA vice president Jerry Przybylski, the coordinator of the swarm hotline and swarm list. He'll talk about swarm catching. You'll learn how to get the most out of the swarm list and (maybe) get free bees!

Ukrainian filmmaker Lana Shapoval presents footage of the Minefields Honey project in action.  An introduction will be provided by Caverlee Cary, a local Ukraine advocate.

Join us for our in-person monthly meeting at our new meeting space! Our speaker will be Dr. Linda J. Siperstein, speaking about Bee venom as a therapeutic agent.

Bee venom can be used in the management of cancers, auto-immune conditions, pain, and other medical conditions in veterinary medicine (and we'll speak a little bit about those animals called humans too).

Dr. Sip (Linda J. Siperstein, DVM) is an exotic pet veterinarian practicing medicine and surgery in the East Bay. Her patients include rabbits, guinea pigs, domesticated rats, turtles, tortoises, lizards, snakes, and birds. Her house call practice gives her a unique perspective on her patients' lifestyles and home care. She lives in Oakland, CA.