A Friendly Reminder: Bees are essential pollinators and should be treated with care and respect. Successful beekeeping requires training, mentorship, and proper hive management—not simply collecting bees from the wild. If you’re interested in becoming a beekeeper, connect with local experts or beekeeping organizations to learn safe, responsible practices that protect both you and the bees.
Northern Neck Beekeepers
In 2008, the Northern Neck Beekeepers Club was founded to provide its members with a forum for sharing knowledge, meeting others with the same interest and promoting the benefits of beekeeping to the community at large. Their meetings on the second Monday of the month at 7pm at the United Methodist Church in Heathsville are planned to coincide with the bee year. Annual membership dues are $15.
In addition to swarm removal services, one of their priorities is attending area events and schools to educate the community on the importance of pollination and honeybees to our food chain. An eight-week Beginning Beekeeping class is held every spring, and the cost of the class includes a one-year membership in the club.
Colonial Beekeepers
Serving the Middle Peninsula and the Peninsula, Colonial Beekeepers’ goal is to foster the keeping, efficient management and preservation of honeybees. They’re dedicated to informing their members and the surrounding communities of the ecological and economic benefits of honeybees. In addition to harvesting honey, they educate members in the science and technique of apiculture and do swarm removal.
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of most months at 7pm at St. George’s Brewery in Hampton. From January through October, on the Saturday following the monthly meeting, workshops and advanced classes are held at the brewery. Five-part Basic Beekeeping classes are taught in the spring. Family membership to Colonial Beekeepers is $10 a year and accessed through their website.
Williamsburg Area Beekeepers Association
Williamsburg Area Beekeepers Association partners with the local community to raise awareness of beekeeping and highlight the importance of honeybees. The nonprofit organization, founded in 2017, offers Introduction to Beekeeping classes in the spring and sometimes the fall and provides swarm removal services.
Their website is an excellent resource, listing beekeeping websites, related YouTube channels, pollinator plant lists, book recommendations and articles about honey. Donations to the organization can also be made directly on the website. Annual membership in Williamsburg Area Beekeepers Association is $25 and a subscription runs from July 1 through June 30. Anyone interested in beekeeping is welcome to join. Meetings are held on the third Monday of the month and often feature speakers on bee-related topics.
