Start Beekeeping – Page 6 – Wise Beekeeping

Beekeeping in Illinois When it comes to beekeeping in Illinois, there are several requirements that you must follow. These include becoming a member of the HIBA, conducting a yearly inspection of your hives, and protecting your queen bee. If you have been living in a different state, you should contact the HIBA office to see if the state has adopted any specific standards for beekeeping. It is also important to have your colony inspected regularly and meet with an inspector before you begin your beekeeping adventure. HIBA membership for beekeepers You can join HIBA, the Heart of Illinois Beekeepers Association, for $10 per person per year. The association also has a hive at Wildlife Prairie Park, where you can visit and observe the bees. You can also get information on upcoming field days and monthly inspections. Memberships are calendar-year-based, and renewals will cost $20 after the March meeting. Membership is $15 per person per year; non-renewing members will be inactivated from the membership rosters. You can find a membership application and renewal forms on the HIBA website. These can be filled out and brought to the association's next meeting. The Membership Secretary will collect the renewal forms. The state of Illinois has a honeybee act that requires beekeepers to register their colonies. Once you have a colony that you want to start keeping, you must complete a registration form and mail it to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. After you submit your form, they will provide you with a certificate and a registration number. The IDOA does not charge a fee to register your apiary, but it does require you to pay a fee for the certification. Illinois beekeepers can also take advantage of other resources, such as statistics. HIBA inspections for beekeepers HIBA inspections for beekeeper members are required by law and are recommended by the Association. HIBA inspections are conducted by trained beekeepers. It is important to have the necessary permits for your operation. The Illinois Beekeepers Act requires that you register your colonies with the state. To do this, you must fill out and mail a form to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Once you've registered, you'll receive a certificate and a registration number. Illinois beekeepers are also encouraged to keep an inventory of their colonies so they can monitor their progress. While the number of allowed hives varies from state to state, in general, beekeepers are permitted to keep two to four hives per acre of land. If the property is zoned Community Facility Zoning District, you may have up to eight hives. The hives must be placed in the rear yard or on the roof, ten feet from property lines and twenty-five feet from occupied buildings. In addition, you must place a water source within 20 feet of the hives. The Illinois Department of Agriculture regularly conducts inspections of honeybee colonies and the beekeeping industry in Illinois. The goal of the inspection is to ensure the general health of the colonies. Beekeepers can expect the inspector to examine the beehives and bee colonies closely to identify pests and diseases that may affect their colonies. Beekeepers should also receive advice on necessary treatments to protect their bees. While registration is not required in all states, registering your hives is recommended by the state. In Illinois, it is required for beekeepers to register their beehives with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Beekeepers should register their beehives to comply with the law and avoid the risk of inadvertently introducing harmful insects or diseases to the local honey bee population. HIBA meetings for beekeepers The Heart of Illinois Beekeepers Association (HIBA) meets regularly. These meetings bring together both hobbyists and commercial beekeepers for educational and entertaining activities. Meetings are held on Thursday nights, and they end with a honey dessert sharing session. HIBA also provides members with the American Bee Journal. Meetings are open to the public and include demonstrations and educational talks. In addition, HIBA members can assist with pollination projects, such as bee removal and bee health and safety. HIBA meetings are open to all beekeepers in Illinois. The association serves Tazewell, Peoria, and Woodford counties. The Tazewell Beekeepers Association was established in the early 1900s. The Heart of Illinois Beekeepers Association is organized by members of these counties. The association holds meetings for its members each year. Membership in HIBA renews annually on January 1 and is $5 for new members. HIBA inspections for queen bees Beekeepers in Illinois can take advantage of HIBA inspections to monitor their hives' health. The Illinois Beekeeping Association (HIBA) hosts monthly inspections of apiaries throughout the state. Members can join the Association by attending one of the organization's three meetings during the month of February. They must also maintain inspection sheets with their hives and agree to let designated contacts inspect and handle their hives in case of an emergency. Under the Beekeepers Act, beekeepers in Illinois must register their apiaries and colonies with the state. Upon completion, beekeepers will receive a registration certificate and apiary registration number from the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Beekeepers are not required to pay a fee for registering their apiary, but they can request that a state official visit their apiary to ensure it meets the standards of the law. The Heart of Illinois Beekeepers' Association (HIBA) is 100 years old this year. It's the second-oldest beekeeping association in Illinois, behind the Illinois State Beekeepers' Association, founded in 1891. According to Robert J. Dubois, who wrote a short history of the association in 1984, Tazewell County, Illinois, had a local beekeeping association in 1900. HIBA inspections for queen beekeepers in Illinois are a crucial part of ensuring the health of apiaries. A proper HIBA inspection can identify if there is a problem with mites. The association also provides resources and support to beekeepers. It publishes its Bulletin bimonthly to share information about apiary practices. The ISBA bulletin is open to anyone interested in honey bees. HIBA inspections for drones In order to participate in HIBA inspections, you must be a member of the Association. Membership requires you to attend February, March, and April meetings and to submit inspection sheets of your hives. You must also agree to let designated contacts inspect your hives in an emergency situation. The inspection sheets are not legally binding, but they will serve as a guide during emergencies. You must register your beehives in Illinois. In order to do so, you must register them with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA). You can register by filling out the form and mailing it to the IDOA. Once your apiary is registered, the Department will issue you a certificate and a registration number. In addition, you must pay an annual fee to have your apiary statistics reported. In addition to registration, HIBA inspections for drones in Illinois are required by the FAA. You must also have a federal Certificate of Authorization (CTA) before you can legally fly drones. This requirement is not an excuse not to comply with the law. The FAA has rules that make it illegal to fly commercial drones on public property. You must follow those rules.