Tri-County Beekeepers Association

07/17/2026

🐝 Akron area beekeepers, we need your support!
Please join us at the Akron City Council meeting on Monday, July 20, at 6:30 p.m. at Akron City Hall, 166 S. High St., Akron, OH to show your support for urban beekeeping.

Ward 1 Councilman Fran Wilson has proposed updating Akron's current beekeeping ordinance by adopting the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Best Management Practices for Beekeeping and removing outdated and unnecessary language.

You do not need to live within Akron city limits to come show your support, nor are you required to speak. Simply being there as a local beekeeper makes a difference. If possible, wear a bee or farm related shirt. Seeing a room full of supporters sends a strong message that our beekeeping community supports practical, up to date beekeeping regulations.

We hope to see you there. Every person in attendance matters. 🐝

You can read the updated changes below in bold caps to replace the wording in lowercase.

92.29 - Beekeeping.
A. No person shall place or keep a beehive in the City of Akron without first obtaining a permit therefor from the Director of Neighborhood Assistance. ALL APIARIES SHALL BE REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE APIARY PROGRAM.

1. Permit applications shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable annual fee of five dollars for each apiary to help defray the costs of processing the application. BEEKEEPERS SHALL TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY FOLLOW OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BEST PRACTICES FOR BEEKEEPING.

2. COMPLAINTS REGARDING APIARIES MAY BE RECEIVED BY THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE SHALL SHARE ALL NUISANCE COMPLAINTS FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE REGARDING APIARIES IN THE CITY OF AKRON WITH THE OFFICES OF THE STATE AND SUMMIT COUNTY APIARY INSPECTION OFFICIALS.

3. BEEKEEPERS SHALL POST A COPY OF THEIR OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE ON OR NEAR THE HIVES.

B. The Director of Neighborhood Assistance shall issue a permit for an apiary if he finds that COMMUNICATE AND COORDINATE WITH STATE AND COUNTY APIARY INSPECTION OFFICIALS TO UNDERSTAND BEST PRACTICES AND TO ENSURE THAT:

1. The apiary does not constitute a nuisance; and
2. The apiary does not disturb the tranquility of the surrounding neighborhood; and
3. The apiary does not endanger the public health; and
4. The apiary is placed and maintained in a manner approved by the Director of Neighborhood Assistance and WITH the following restrictions:

a. The back of the beehive may be no less than six feet from any adjoining residential property or to any public road or public right-of-way. BEEHIVES ARE NO LESS THAN SIX FEET FROM ANY ADJOINING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, TO ANY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE, AND TO ANY PUBLIC ROAD OR PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.

b. The side of the beehive may be no less than fifteen feet from any adjoining residential property or to any public road or public right-of-way.

c. The front of the beehive may be no less than twenty-five feet from any residential property or to any public road or public right-of-way.

d. B. The front or entrance of a beehive shall not directly face residences of adjoining property owners, UNLESS IT IS NECESSARY TO PRESERVE THE HEALTH OF THE HIVE.

e. C. No person shall place or keep an apiary, or cause or allow an apiary to remain on land not owned or possessed by such person, without first obtaining the written permission to do so of the owner or person lawfully in possession of such land.

f. D. Every person owning, possessing, or controlling an apiary shall maintain within ten feet of each apiary a supply of water with a backflow prevention device which shall be equipped with a float valve or similar device which assures an adequate accessible and usable supply of water for the bees. A SUPPLY OF FRESH WATER SHALL BE MAINTAINED ON-SITE IN A LOCATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL COLONIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND THE WATER SOURCE SHALL BE LOCATED CLOSER THAN ANY OTHER WATER SOURCE NOT OWNED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.

F. UNLESS CERTIFIED AND/OR ENROLLED IN THE SUMMIT COUNTY CURRENT AGRICULTURAL USE VALUE PROGRAM OR AN EQUIVALENT STATE OR COUNTY AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM, NO SINGLE PARCEL OF PROPERTY MAY HAVE MORE THAN TWO (2) HIVES, PER TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED (2,400) SQUARE FEET. IF IT IS NECESSARY TO SPLIT HIVES TO PREVENT SWARMING, GROW THE COLONY, OR OTHERWISE MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF THE COLONY, THE NUMBER OF HIVES IN EXCESS OF THIS LIMITATION SHALL BE RELOCATED WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS.

G. IF THE FRONT OF THE HIVE FACES A PUBLIC ROAD, PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY, OR A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE ON AN ABUTTING PROPERTY, A FENCE, HEDGE, OR OTHER SOLID PHYSICAL BARRIER, KNOWN AS A “FLYAWAY BARRIER”, OF AT LEAST SIX (6) FEET IN HEIGHT SHALL BE PLACED ALONG THE FRONT OF THE HIVE, AND SHALL BE LOCATED WITHIN FIVE (5) FEET OF THE HIVE AND SHALL EXTEND AT LEAST TWO (2) FEET ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HIVE. NO SUCH FLYWAY BARRIER SHALL BE REQUIRED IF BEEHIVES ARE LOCATED AT LEAST TWENTY-FIVE (25) FEET FROM ALL PROPERTY LINES, OR FOR BEEHIVES THAT ARE LOCATED AT LEAST TEN (10) FEET ABOVE GRADE OR FOR BEEHIVES WITH THE SOLE OPENING POINTED TOWARDS THE RESIDENCE OF BEEKEEPER.

06/18/2026

USDA ARS Honey Bee Lab Closing
By: Barb Bloetscher

With 60 percent of commercial honey bee colonies dying in the last 3 years, and the likely threat of the Tropilaelaps mites and other damaging pests attacking our colonies in the US, it is alarming and dangerous to know that our Government is trying to close the USDA Research Labs in Beltsville MD. THIS INCLUDES the Honey Bee Diagnostic Lab and ALL the research that has continued to serve US since the 1920’s!!!

The USDA Honey bee Diagnostic Laboratory has ID’d CCD, Disappearing Disease (before CCD) many of the viruses and pathogens that attack honey bees, and done extensive research to improve honey bee health and beekeeping management. The Diagnostic Lab has conducted Disease Diagnostics and Pest ID as well as antibiotic resistance at no cost to the public and provided additional diagnostics as needed for unusual submissions and questions.

It’s not JUST the Bee Lab though, the facility includes research on Food, Agricultural crops, Farm animals, Fruit, Vegetables, Hay and silage, Soil nutrition and Ornamental plants. They provided insight on the emerald ash borer, many other invasive pests, plus Human Nutrition.

Acres of chestnut trees one year away from flowering have a resistance to a soil pathogen. If the Labs are closed, the buildings will be razed and the fields leveled.
You can’t infect any soil with this pathogen and wait another 30 years for the chestnut trees to develop resistance again, yet the plan is to destroy these trees.
Although the admin is providing another location for the employees, relocation is not always possible for them, plus funding and equipment to continue their research may or may not be possible.

The Admin has already ordered dumpsters to empty the labs.
The employees have until Sept 1, to move out.
The buildings will be emptied by Sept 30.
Keep in mind that the Beltsville Labs serve the entire NE USA. Other USDA Labs do good work but they have different soils, environments, Weather, and plants than we do here. Diseases and symptoms that occur in NE USA often do not occur in the arid SW or locations of other labs.

Worse of all is the loss of the Brain Trust, the Collaboration that occurs with these groups of employees. Together they found and tried all kinds of answers to difficult questions and helped us and our crops, animals and wildlife improve.

GREED and Ignorance is pushing this movement to close the labs and sell the property for "development"
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE and US REPS and wear out their phones with messages to maintain these labs!!

PLEASE Speak up if You care at all about the research that continues to serve "US", the U.S. Citizens.
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According to the National Honey Board there might be 135,000 Beekeepers in the US. If you/we/us really care about the USDA/ARS instructions from Washington and loss of support for us beekeepers for honey bee health, we could possibly get some positive and attention if all 135,000 of us contacted our employees in Congress. Lets do it - Jerry Hayes, Editor

Please read this article for more information: https://hoyer.house.gov/media/press-releases/maryland-delegation-members-press-trump-administration-illegal-effort-close

06/14/2026

And anything helping the Honey Bee also helps the Native Bee population by adding forage to everyone!

05/25/2026

Today we pause to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice 🇺🇸

05/20/2026

03/15/2026

Sharing for our friends...

Bee Dazzled celebrates a fun-filled day of learning about bees and beekeeping while experiencing local history, featuring an opportunity to walk through the historic Langstroth Cottage. It was here that the “Father of American Beekeeping,” L.L. Langstroth, developed the movable-frame hive that transformed modern beekeeping. Bee there or bee square!
Sign up on the Butler County Beekeeper's website, $30/person, kids are free: https://www.butlercountybeekeepers.org

02/25/2026

Monthly meeting tonight at 7pm @ The Bee Lab.

We're down to the last few days to register for the Spring Workshop. Registration closes on Friday February 27th.