SC Mid-State Beekeepers Association

07/07/2026

MSBA has 1 free ticket to the summer conference, 7/16-18, that we are giving away. Here’s how to enter:

1) be an active, dues paid member of MSBA.
2) like this post
3) reply to this post with a picture of your colonies!

Entries will be open until this Friday, 7/10 at 8pm local time. We will announce the winner by noon on Saturday, 7/11. Limit 1 entry per person.

07/07/2026

Just a reminder there is no meeting tonight. See you August 4th!

07/02/2026

Local is better!

06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all my beekeeping buddies!

02/11/2026

Do you have a plan for the Yellow Legged Hornet?

The good news is that it’s not in our area yet. The bad news is that it’s in the Lowcountry and York County.

March is right around the corner and that is the time when Yellow Legged Hornet Queens start their embryo nests. Think of this as the start of their season.

So what can you do?
1) Be educated.
The SC State Beekeepers Association recently hosted a conversation with Clemson’s Ben Powell about the YLH. Become a member of the SCBA and go watch that conversation.

2) Build traps. Traps are easy and inexpensive. Deadfall traps are made out 2 liter bottles or old milk jugs. The bait is a 1:1 ratio of grape juice and brown sugar.

3) Be vigilant.
If you see something, say something. If you see hawking behavior, report it. If you catch what you think is a Yellow Legged Hornet, report it.

4) Build up your hives.
A strong hive can handle a lot of issues. If the Yellow Legged Hornet is present then a strong hive can survive. That process starts now.

02/08/2026

With warmer temperatures on the way and the bulk of our Spring forage at least a month off, we want to remind everyone that starvation is a real concern for our colonies in February. During warmer days, try to get in for a quick inspection to assess stores. If you don't have time, heft the back of the hive. If your hives are light, you should start feeding sugar syrup. You should also consider providing pollen supplements. What you do now influences whether you have strong hives going into the nectar flow.

01/27/2026

USC Honors College offers a creative writing and beekeeping course with assistant instructor David MacFawn, who is a member of the SC Mid-State Beekeepers Association. The association brings beekeepers across the Midlands together to share knowledge on environmental and bee-related topics.

Read more at the link in our bio.

✏️ Cassandra Stout
🎨 Grace De Peña