Welcome to the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association, founded in 1873, to foster the interest of bee culture and beekeeping within Los Angeles County. Our primary purpose is the care and welfare of the honeybee. Our group membership is composed of commercial and small scale beekeepers, bee hobbyists, and bee enthusiasts. So whether you came upon our site by design or just 'happened' to find us - we're glad you're here! Our club and this website are dedicated to educating our members and the general public. We support honeybee research, and adhering to best management practices for the keeping of bees.
The Latest Buzz:
California Honey Harvest Virtual Festival 2020
/California Honey Harvest Virtual Festival 2020
A virtual celebration of honey and resource for all to enjoy during 2020. We hope to bring this festival back in a big way for 2021! Bee safe and stay healthy.
Buzz on over to the Honey Harvest Virtual Festival for exciting Virtual Fun!
We look forward to seeing you in 2021!
California Honey Harvest Virtual Festival
Bennett's Honey Farm
The Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association
Until 2020, the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association has participated in the California Honey Harvest Festival. Following are some images from previous years! We look forward to returning for the 2021 California Honey Harvest Festival.
The LACBA provides experienced beekeepers from our membership to act as docents on the Fillmore & Western Railway from Fillmore to Bennett’s Honey Farm.
Our Honey Bee Observation Hives gives festival goers an up close look at what goes on inside a beehive.
Volunteer members from the LACBA offer education, information, and answer questions about honey bees: their history, behavior, and the importance they play in our lives.
Our Honey Bee Table provides information and displays about honey bees and beekeeping.
We look forward to seeing you in 2021 at the California Honey Harvest Festival.
In the meantime:
Enjoy the wonderful California Honey Harvest Virtual Festival 2020 online!
Visit the LACBA website and learn about honey bees, beekeeping, and what you can do to help the bees.
Consider becoming a beekeeper and sign up for
Beekeeping Classes 101.
Become a Member of the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association.
Bee-Happy!
The LACBA on World Bee Day and the LA County Fair Bee Booth
/Let’s Celebrate the Bees on
World Bee Day
On this day Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, was born in 1734.
The purpose of the international day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem. The UN Member States approved Slovenia's proposal to proclaim 20 May as World Bee Day in December 2017.
Image Credit: Kodua Galieti
The Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association
The Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association was established in 1873 to foster the interest of bee culture and beekeeping within Los Angeles County. Our membership is composed of commercial and small scale beekeepers, bee hobbyists, and bee enthusiasts.
Our primary purpose is the care and welfare of the honeybee. Our association and this website are dedicated to educating our members and the general public about bees. We support bee research, and adhering to best management practices for the keeping of bees.
LA County Fair
Bee Booth
We were deeply saddened to hear that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LA County Fair has been cancelled for 2020. The LA County Fair is one of the largest county fairs in the country and the most-visited event in the Los Angeles region in September. It has been an end-of-summer tradition for many.
LA County fair bee booth
For over twenty years, the LACBA has provided and maintained the Bee Booth at the LA County Fair educating thousands of school children and the general public about honeybees and their importance in our lives. Honeybees are responsible for nearly 1/3 of our entire diet in regards to the pollination services they provide for a large majority of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
Catch the Buzz About Bees!
Honey bees are one of the most fascinating creatures on the planet.
Inside the Bee Booth, fair goers gathered round our fabulous HONEY BEE OBSERVATION HIVE. Experienced beekeepers sparked their interest in honey bees, explaining their social structure, how the bees help feed the world, how bees communicate through scent and the 'waggle dance,' how they travel for miles to gather nectar to make honey, the jobs assigned to the worker bees, the duties of the drones, how a bee becomes a queen, and how they have survived for millions of years.
Scroll through our Photo Gallery!
Take A Walk Though The Bee Booth!
The LACBA Supports!
Over the years, the LACBA has been a generous supporter of bee research organizations through sales of honey at the Bee Booth and other events. Here’s a list of some of the organizations we’ve been honored to help fund:
California State Beekeepers Association (Bee Research Fund)
CSU Channel Islands (Bee Campus USA)
We Need Your Support!
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all the events where the LACBA has previously had the opportunity to raise funds though honey sales (such as the LA County Fair Bee Booth, among others), have been cancelled. The honey bees don’t know this. The bees keep on buzzing, they keep on flying, they keep on making honey, and some keep on dying. We need your help. The bees need your help.
We ask for your support:
Buy your honey and bee products from local beekeepers at farmers markets or direct from the beekeeper. LACBA member beekeepers: https://www.losangelescountybeekeepers.com/honey-bee-products.
DONATE to the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association. The LACBA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Funds raised go to honey bee education and research.
Thank You!
Enjoy World Bee Day!
LACBA Activities Moving To Online Formats
/
The Executive Committee has been meeting weekly to discuss how to proceed with Club business, monthly meetings and club activities. We are following the guidelines for no face to face interactions until this Covid-19 virus subsides.
We are cancelling the April meeting and will implement an online monthly meeting using Zoom technology. We will send you an email link and you will click on that to enter the meeting. Since there are only 100 spaces allowed in a meeting, we will record it and/or simultaneously broadcast it on our Facebook page. Still, to be determined...
More information to follow but mark your calendars for May 4th at 7 pm. Our tentative plan is to show videos of club members working on Spring tasks such as installing a nucleus hive, checking for mites, and mite treatment. Please submit other areas of interest or questions you would see discussed. You can email me at lacba.secretary@gmail.com.
You will need to be a paid member to gain access. A reminder to renew your membership will be sent out soon.
Regarding the 101 classes at the Valley Hive, these classes will also move to an online format. Priority will be given to paying members who have signed up for the class and have donated to the class (there is a paying option for the class and a non-paying option, paying people will be given priority). Mark your calendars for the next 101 class: April 19
NUC deliveries for Club volunteers are still scheduled for late April. The weather has had an impact on queen mating so there are delays. More information to follow...
Respectfully submitted, Be safe! Stay home!
Mary Ann Laun, LACBA Secretary (4/1/2020)
