New to beekeeping? Could use a refresher? We’ve put together some resources to help you get started. Please check with your local county beekeepers’ association for more specific information, regulations, etc.
When picking up colonies or “nucs,” it is advised to travel with windows open. They CANNOT be placed in the trunk for travel, or the bees will die. Cardboard nucleus boxes are not 100% bee-leak proof. Please keep this in mind for safe travel. If you don’t have any beekeeping experience, we recommend you take a beekeeping class before purchasing bees.
The following MOM’s stores have backyard beekeeping gear: Center City, Cherry Hill, White Marsh, Alexandria, Ivy City, Gaithersburg, College Park, and Hampden.
Beekeeping Associations
- Maryland State Beekeepers Association
- Virginia State Beekeepers Association
- New Jersey Beekeepers Association
In-Person Classes
- Maryland Beekeepers Association Classes
- NOVA Beekeeping
- NJ Beekeeping Calendar or Events and Classes
- Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association Events Calendar
- D.C. Beekeeping Alliance Beginning Beekeeping Courses
- The Bee Store in Lake Ridge, VA
Online Classes
- Perfect Bee – Your First Beehive and Beyond
- Beekeeper Education and Engagement System (BEES)
- Beekeeping 101
Videos
- Beekeeping for Beginners — Hive Set Up
- Beekeeping for Beginners – Adding Bees
- Beekeeping for Beginners – Bee Health and Varroa Mites
Books
- The Beekeeper’s Bible
- The Backyard Beekeeper
- Honeybee Democracy
- The Bee Book
- The Beekeeper’s Handbook
- The Beekeeper’s Problem Solver: 100 Common Problems Explored and Explained
- Beekeeping for Dummies
- The Practical Beekeeper
Additional
- Pollinator-Friendly Plant Lists (Xerces Society)
- Pollinator Conservation Resources – Mid-Atlantic Region (Xerces Society)
- Beekeeping Supplies (Grow Organic)
- BeeCulture Magazine
- How to Grow a Beautiful Pollinator Garden