Apiary and Pollinator Services

Overview

Pennsylvania's beekeeping history is rich. It began with the introduction of honey bees during colonization. Then came the Langstroth hive, now the most popular design among beekeepers. Today, Pennsylvania leads in North American beekeeping. The industry has grown to include various interconnected sectors. These are:

Producing bees and equipment for all beekeepers.
Offering migratory pollination services.
Making and selling honey and bee products.
Developing alternative pollinators for agriculture.
Conserving and planting for pollinators.

Apiary Registration and Inspection for Bees

The first beekeeping law in the Commonwealth was enacted in 1921. It addressed a deadly bee disease, American Foulbrood (AFB). Initially, the Apiary Inspection Program aimed to upgrade hives to modern ones. Inspectors also taught beekeepers about disease prevention.

The current Bee Law, established in 1994, was a joint effort by the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers' Association and the Department of Agriculture. It mandates apiary registration to boost inspection efficiency. The registration fee is $10 for about two years. This law controls the movement of bees and equipment to prevent disease. It also allows for quarantines when threats are found.

The Apiary Section's program enforces the Bee Law. Seasonal inspectors check hives from May to mid-October. They prioritize inspections based on past disease outbreaks, breeding yards, new beekeepers, and uninspected hives. If AFB or other threats are detected, the affected apiary is quarantined. Beekeepers are then informed and given treatment orders. For AFB, treatment must start within 14 days. Inspections continue twice a year for two years.

Other inspections include certification for breeders and checks for moving bees across state lines. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Food Safety oversees honey packing and sales regulations. Honey packing and sale regulations are governed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Food Safety.

American Foulbrood

American Foulbrood (AFB) is caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. Nurse bees spread the infection by feeding larvae contaminated food. Inside the larvae, spores turn into active bacteria. These bacteria then infect the larvae's tissues. The larvae die after their cells are sealed. This event creates bad conditions for the bacteria. In response, the bacteria produce millions of spores in the dead larvae. The dried remains, known as scale, stick to the cell. For more information, please read our guide on American Foulbrood.

Pollination Services

About 80% of our crops rely on insect pollination. Honey bees are the most common pollinators. Yet, Pennsylvania also needs non-honey bee pollinators. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture's Apiary program aims to understand pollinators' roles in ecosystems.

In 2006, the Apiary Section launched the Pennsylvania Native Bee Survey (PANBS) to find native pollinators. By 2010, it published the first bee checklist, identifying 371 species. The PANBS continues to grow, tracking bee population changes.

In June 2011, during National and Pennsylvania Pollinator Week, a site was reserved for a pollinator garden. This garden, near the Agriculture Department in Harrisburg, aims to showcase the need for natural habitats. Local and state groups will collaborate on it. They'll create resource gardens, informative displays, and observation areas.

The Apiary Section will soon shift to a Pollinator Services program. This program will focus on pollinator industries, addressing surveys, regulations, policies, and education.