Lompoc Valley Beekeepers Association

04/16/2026

https://santaynezvalleygrange.org/mc-events/intro-to-honeybees-with-vic-debbie-ceder/

Local beekeepers Vic & Debbie Ceder will give this free public talk!

04/11/2026

When beekeepers saw widespread honeybee die-offs last year, researchers at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center stepped in to help. The Trump administration now plans to close the facility, sparking concern among beekeepers and scientists.

04/10/2026

Who knew?

When Notre-Dame caught fire in April 2019, attention was on the collapsing spire and the damaged roof.

But something much smaller—and unexpected—was also at risk.

On the cathedral’s sacristy roof, there were three beehives with around 180,000 bees. They had been installed in 2013 as part of an urban beekeeping program in Paris.

After the fire, many assumed they had been lost. The heat and smoke looked too intense.

A few days later, the cathedral’s beekeeper confirmed the opposite:
all the bees were still alive.

There are a couple of reasons why.

The hives were located away from the main blaze, on a lower section of the structure that was not directly affected by the flames. Also, bees don’t react to smoke the same way humans do. Instead of fleeing, they tend to stay inside the hive and consume honey, which helps protect the colony.

Since then, the bees have continued producing honey each year during the restoration of Notre-Dame.

04/10/2026

I was surprised to learn of the prevalence of killer bees in southern AZ while visiting Bisbee last week. I understand that killer bees are not genetically different than other honey bees but they do produce more honey. Their extreme aggression is a behavioral trait.

03/27/2026

Did you know that:
- one spoonful of honey is enough to keep a person alive for 24 hours
- one of the first coins in the world featured a bee symbol
- honey contains live enzymes. The metal spoon kills these enzymes. The best way to consume honey is with a wooden spoon, if not, you can use a plastic one.
- honey contains a substance that helps the brain function.
- honey is one of the few foods on earth that alone can sustain human life.
- bees saved people from starvation in Africa.
- propolis produced by bees is one of nature's most powerful antibiotics.
- honey has no expiration date.
- the bodies of the world's greatest emperors were buried in golden coffins and then covered with honey to prevent them from rotting.
- the term "honeymoon" comes from the fact that the young couple consumed honey for fertility purposes after marriage.
- a bee lives less than 40 days, visits at least 1,000 flowers and produces less than a teaspoon of honey, but for her it is the work of a lifetime.
Thank you, dear bees!

03/22/2026

Greetings from Archie's Local Lompoc Honey. We miss you Archie!

03/21/2026

Behind every website is a server and behind every server is…a honeybee?!

03/20/2026

03/17/2026

Norm bravely tackled a wine barrel hive teeming with life yesterday, uncovering an astonishing amount of honey, comb, and brood amidst a whirlwind of excited bees! Though they weren't aggressive, their powerful sting still packed a punch. We've carefully split the colony into two hive boxes, fingers crossed they'll thrive and not fly the coop - stay tuned for more photos once they settle in