Northern Colorado Beekeepers Association - Bee Swarm Hotline

04/13/2026

Definitely take some time and watch this program. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JJp1siPR5/

We’ve always known bees were smart. Now, science suggests they may be geniuses. 🐝

In the cover story of our new May issue—out now—we reveal the remarkable minds of the world’s most important pollinators. Emerging research shows that bees can solve complex problems, associate colors with rewards, and navigate ever‑changing landscapes. That breadth of intelligence is rare in the animal kingdom—and it may be key to their survival. Read the story: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/secrets-of-bees-adaptation-pollinators?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=facebook::cmp=editorial::add=fb20260413animals-secretsofbeesadaptationpollinatorsfreemium

Elsewhere in the issue, we travel to South Sudan for a stunning and rare view of the world’s largest animal migration. We explore the ruins of the ancient Indus Valley metropolis of Mohenjo Daro, a city that has remained largely unexplored for centuries—until now. And we join researchers on a globe‑spanning journey to visit isolated communities, in a quest that could upend medical science.

If this sparked your curiosity, there’s more waiting—subscribe to Nat Geo: https://ngmdomsubs.nationalgeographic.com/servlet/OrdersGateway?cds_mag_code=NGM&cds_page_id=286041&cds_response_key=I6CX10000

03/24/2026

IT IS SWARM SEASON!!! First swarm reported and rescued in Loveland today!

01/17/2026

Hi everyone! It may be January, but it's time to get your 2026 Fair On!
A quick reminder to save or create honey products for the 2026 County Fair.
If you harvested AFTER August 10, 2025, your honey or honey products are eligible to enter in this year's fair, slated for July 31st to August 4th, 2026.
Liquid honey, creamed honey, infused honey, wax, and more! Check out the NCBA website for more information! https://nocobees.org/honey-judging-larimer-county-fair/. NoCobees.org is the place to beeee!
And don't forget a honey-based mead or liquor for the fermented category. Think Lithuanian krupnikas and more!

Registering will begin in May. More to come from your new fair leaders - Charlene Horton-Garcia and Kathy Gill!

08/15/2025

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=755666893883582&set=a.719890617461210

In a breakthrough that could reshape cancer treatment, scientists have discovered that honeybee venom can destroy 100% of aggressive breast cancer cells in less than 60 minutes. The key lies in a powerful compound called melittin, found in honeybee venom but not in bumblebee venom.

Researchers tested the venom on various breast cancer cell types in lab dishes and found that melittin acts like a precision-guided weapon. It punches holes in cancer cell membranes, causing the cells to die quickly. What’s even more promising is that melittin leaves healthy cells largely untouched, suggesting it could be used for treatments with fewer side effects than chemotherapy or radiation.

Melittin proved especially effective against triple-negative breast cancer and HER2-enriched breast cancer, two of the most difficult types to treat. This discovery opens new doors to developing safer, more targeted cancer therapies using natural compounds.

Scientists are now working to harness melittin’s cancer-fighting power in a controlled way, possibly through nanoparticles or synthetic versions that could be used in future medications. While more research is needed, this natural molecule from bees offers a powerful new weapon in the fight against cancer.

07/29/2025

Butterfly Pavilion said this achievement sets a new standard for firefly conservation and invertebrate research worldwide.

07/29/2025

07/15/2025

Volunteer at the NCBA booth for the Larimer County Fair - sign up here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044DAFA722A1F94-57561322-2025

07/15/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BAdgiodJw/

03/20/2025

Club Hive Inspection Sat March 22nd at noon!

The NCBA has a club hive yard at The Ranch Complex where we have our monthly meetings. If you are a member, this hive yard is YOUR learning hive yard. The hive management team will be at the hive yard on Saturday, March 22 at NOON, weather permitting, for a hive inspection. The intention of this ins...

02/15/2025

The 'best queens' are those raised by your own bees

Personally, I believe humans have done more harm than good as it relates to the honeybee, particularly how we've turned them into an agricultural commodity to profit off .
How has that reality contributed to the issues bees and beekeepers face today?
That topic would be a well deserved and timely conversation to have, but the resistance will be enormous, since the human needs always outcast other species needs and we are so good in finding excuses for everything we do
One aspect of beekeeping involves the production of new queens. And beekeeping has developed the art of grafting
In some scientific selective breeding projects grafting may be useful as a tool to study genetic traits transmission like resistance to Varroa.
But in commercial beekeeping grafting of queens is purely done, to be mass produced and sold to amateur and professional alike.
Grafted queens are nothing more than emergency queens reared by queenless colonies.
Those queens are nothing other than, a well advertised commercial product, but they are NOT better queens. A lot of effort has been made from queen breeders to produce gentle, with reduced swarming impulse, high productivity queens.
But all those qualities measured by the human needs , do not equal superiority.
They may serve well commercial beekeepers but have no real offer in honeybee evolution.
Anyway if your goal is not to sell thousands of nucs and queens per year, there's no reason to select grafted over naturally produced queens. Your queens produced locally by your bees, are shaped by natural selection which always favours a species evolution

The best queens result from the swarming impulse.
Because in nature queens laid significantly bigger eggs in the larger queen cells prepared, than in the worker cells. Those swarm queens are well fed, raised in optimal environmental conditions and you can use as many as you possible can, a single hive can be easily split in many.