Cappings
Pierce County Beekeeping Association
Monthly Newsletter
March 2026 - Volume 32 - Issue 2
A letter from the President
Spring is in the Air!
Spring is here — and with it, that familiar stir of excitement that only beekeepers truly understand. The hives are waking up, the blossoms are opening, and so, it seems, is everything we've been quietly building together at PCBA.
What a start to the year it has been. I want to take a moment to celebrate just how much this club has accomplished in such a short time, because it deserves to be said out loud.
Honey house upgrades
Thanks to the generosity of our members, we hit our fundraising goal for a honey bottling tank — and the club went one step further, investing an additional $500 of our own to add a honey bottle speed filler. Both are now available for member rental at the honey house. These aren't small upgrades. They represent a real, meaningful improvement to what we can offer every person who walks through that door.
Behind the scenes, we've also been doing the less glamorous — but equally important — work of keeping this organization strong. We've revised our bylaws, transitioned to a new bank, and proudly signed our next five-year contract with WSU. These foundational steps ensure PCBA is built to last.
We've shown up across Pierce County at events throughout the region, representing our club and our craft with pride. And we've been investing in our digital presence too — our phone line is now fully activated with texting enabled, our website has been updated with a consent-to-text form, and we've begun filming honey extraction and wax processing for educational content. More on that soon.
A revitalized approach to Apiary Days
We're reimagining how Apiary Days work with a true see one, do one, teach one model. Apprentices will step into the role of instructor for beginners — with experienced mentors on site every step of the way. This approach builds confidence at every level of experience, creates real hands-on learning, and strengthens the bonds that make this community so special. It's beekeeping education the way it was always meant to be passed down: person to person, hive to hive.
Our speaker lineup for the year is already set and full — you're going to love what's coming. And we're actively working on even more: a membership packet for all members, PCBA merchandise, and — fingers crossed — a food processing license for the honey house. If that comes through, it would allow members to process honey in expanded forms and pursue retail approval. That would be a game-changer, and we're giving it everything we've got.
Know your bees, know your county
I'm personally working on a monthly resource to help keep every member informed about what's happening right here in Pierce County — what the bees are doing, what's blooming, and what actions you should be taking in your apiary at that moment in the season. Beekeeping is deeply local, and I want to make sure we're giving you information that actually matches what's outside your back door. Watch for this in upcoming newsletters.
Spring fair — volunteers needed!
We have the Spring Fair coming up and we truly need your help. Details and sign-up information are in this newsletter — please read them and consider stepping up. Events like this are how we introduce our community to the world of beekeeping, and it takes all of us to make it happen.
None of this — not a single bit of it — happens without the people who show up, roll up their sleeves, and give their time freely because they care. To our volunteers and board members: thank you. You are what makes this club worth belonging to.
Here's to a sweet season ahead. The bees are counting on us, and we are counting on each other.
With gratitude and a heart full of honey,
Kathleen Clerc
Member News
SPRING FAIR - April 10th-12th & April 17th-19th
As we gear up for the upcoming Spring Fair, we need your help to make this event a buzzing success! This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our passion for beekeeping and connect with our community.
🌟 Volunteer Your Time! We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us run our booth, share our love for bees, and engage with fair-goers. Volunteering is not only a great way to give back, but it’s also a fantastic chance to get to know other members and educate the community about the importance of bees and what our organization is all about.
Sign up here: Volunteer Sign-Up
🍯 Donate Your Honey! We also kindly ask for donations of honey to sell at our booth. This is a fundraising event, and your generous contributions will help raise funds for our association while showcasing the amazing work we do as beekeepers!
🚗 Parking and Admission: No worries about parking or admission—both will be provided for our volunteers!
📞 Contact Information: For more details or to coordinate your donations, please reach out to our Point of Contact, Michelle Cyree, at vp@pcbeekeepers.org.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the bees and our community. Let’s make this Spring Fair a fantastic event!
SPRING BEEKEEPING - DIVE ON IN!
MARCH
APRIL
Images are property of Kathleen Clerc - The Pacific Northwest Beekeepers Complete Guide
Upcoming Presentation
April 6th @7pm
Allmendinger Center
Norroa - a new Vorroa Mite Treatment
Presented by Adam Pachl
Available on Zoom -->
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83672692772pwd=4lXVa1u6FcqomyXlAuBwu1MhUbR0WW.1
Meeting ID: 836 7269 2772
Passcode: 059541
One tap mobile
+12532050468,,83672692772#,,,,*059541# US
+12532158782,,83672692772#,,,,*059541# US (Tacoma)
Committee Reports
Swarm Team
If you have signed up to be on the swarm team please make sure your membership is current.
Also, please add Chris Camper to your contact list so that you will know that it is Chris calling and not a spam call. Chris' phone number is 253-319-0327 press 2 for swarms.
Our insurance company needs waivers signed by the community and also by you, the beekeepers. Follow this link to the waiver.
Education
Apiary Days are weather dependent and are scheduled April through October. Club hives are closed for the season.
Please keep an eye on our Facebook Group for updates on what is planned in the Spring. Rescheduled dates or times and topics will also be announced on our Facebook Group page.
PCBA Beekeeping Class Information
Classes are available to PCBA Members only
Become a Member
Sign up for Classes on our website
Location:
WSU Puyallup Research & Extension Center
D.F. Allmendinger Center
2606 W Pioneer Ave, Puyallup, WA 98371
Classes are January - November (See Events and Announcements above for upcoming classes and topics)
Adopt-a-Hive Program
Contact Katie Marler (education@pcbeekeepers.org) with any questions.
Beginner’s Beekeeping Class Schedule 2026
April 6th - Hive Management from Winter to Spring
May 4th - Hive Management from Summer to Fall
June 8th- Pests, Parasites & Treatments
July 6th, no in-person classes due to club picnic, Lesson #1 on zoom
August 3rd- Pests, Parasites & Treatments
August 24th- Honey Bee Science & Biology
Oct 5th - Hive Management from Winter to Spring
Nov 2nd - Hive Management from Summer to Fall
December 7th - no classes due to club holiday potluck
Testing:
If you have attended all five PCBA beginner’s classes, you are invited to put your knowledge to the test - an open book, online test - to obtain a beginner’s certificate.
There are two certificate options:
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If you purchased the WASBA manual, you can earn a certificate from Washington State Beekeepers Association.
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If you didn’t use the manual and instead simply followed PCBA classes or used the Beekeeper’s Handbook as a manual, you can get a PCBA beginner certificate from Pierce County Beekeepers Association (more informal/fun, not academically recognized).
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After one year of beekeeping, you can move on to an apprentice program through WASBA (if you did their beginner’s test)
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Alternatively, you can join the Master Beekeeper Program at Oregon State University, which starts at apprentice level!
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To take the beginner’s test, please email Katie at education@pcbeekeepers.org and you’ll be added to the online testing program, then complete on your own time.
Apprentice Beekeepers Class Schedule 2026
April 6- Management through the seasons, frame manipulations & swarms
Volunteer @ Spring Fair (April)
May 4 - Evaluating your Queen, splits
June 8 - Forage, Feeding & successful inspections, Reading the combs
July - Club Picnic, no meeting, Zoom class - Native Pollinators, date tbd
Aug 3 - Pests and Diseases & treatments
Aug 24 - Harvesting Honey + Other Products from the Hive
Volunteer @ State Fair (Sept)
Oct 5- Fall management, wintering configurations & feeding
Nov 2 - Pollination (services) & Pesticides
Club Apiary Updates - March 2026
Thanks to those that came out for our apiary workshop on March 7th! We were able to go through most of the deadouts to talk about clues we look for in hive autopsies to answer the looming question of “why did my hive die?” In case you wanted to come but missed it, please see the attached handout as a starting point, and bring questions to your mentor or to class.
A big cause of loss in our apiary this winter was unfortunately starvation! We heaped them all full of sugar using the mountain camp method, but many bees burned right through it along with their own honey stores. We are hearing this a lot across the club and are of course blaming this long warmish winter which has maintained high brood activity and thus high resource consumption. But even now as colonies are ramping up their numbers for swarm season, we still have a bit more winter weather to get through! Please monitor the food resources of your bees until they are gaining significant (10-20lbs) weight from nectar. It’s a little early to feed syrup so we recommend to still have dry sugar on top, but of course use your best judgement.
At the workshop we also practiced prepping our plastic foundations by adding extra beeswax. The favorite method was taking melted wax in a crockpot and rolling it on with a THIN padded 4-6” paint roller. Attendees learned to have a light touch when rolling to build up the wax on the edges of the cells and hopefully not in the center where the bees may just leave it. We were able to get a medium box of heavily waxed frames ready for each of our surviving hives! These will make great spring honey supers. Thanks everyone for the helping hands! It’s also a good reminder that spring will be here SOON so this is the time to get any new equipment or supers prepped and ready to add.
Looking Forward… APIARY DAYS UPDATE
Upcoming dates for apiary days: please pencil in the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of May and June for regular apiary workshops, with occasional weekdays thrown in to check on especially swarm-prone hives, these will be posted on the website calendar. April will have a special schedule as follows BUT depending very much on the weather forecast!
April 4th - Shed Cleanout & Hive Prep for Install
April 12th or 13th Pickup ordered packages from Alisa Shorey/Dolce Bella Bees & Install, Date and time TBD
Mid to Late April: Delivery & Installation of nucs from DoubleR Farms- Date TBD, watch for an email 5-7days prior
April 25th- First official kickoff of Apiary Days/Adopt a Hive
ADOPT A HIVE PROGRAM
This is a NEW effort PCBA is trialing this year - Each of our ten educational hives will have an assigned beginner ‘keeper’ for the season who will work under an apprentice level mentor. Program participation includes attending at minimum two apiary days a month and inspecting the hive alongside other apiary day participants. If you cannot attend each apiary day, we recommend sharing the hive with another beginner so at least one of you will always be in attendance.
We hope that this will be an excellent introduction for those who want to jump in and start bee-ing responsible for a hive, but do not have their own equipment or a space ready. First dibs on splits from surviving club hives the following spring will be offered to dedicated adopt-a-hive keepers.
We are offering this program FREE to members, however priority will be given to regular attendees of last year’s apiary days and/or those who have completed the beginner’s course. :)
Please fill out our Adopt-a-Hive Survey ASAP if you are interested!
From Oregon State University:
PNW Honey Bee Survey is Now Open!
The 18th annual Pacific Northwest Honey Bee Survey is NOW OPEN at www.pnwhoneybeesurvey.com/survey. All PNW beekeepers who overwintered colonies are invited to share information on their overwintering successes/losses. The survey also accepts information on management to reduce losses but respondents can skip these sections.
Beginning in May your members may go to pnwhoneybeesurvey.com to find reports of state and local bee club responses. All responses are anonymous without identifying individual respondents.
Events and Announcements
Volunteers, we need you! PCBA couldn't happen without you. Ten (10) hours per year of volunteer service is required for each member.
Please sign up to help with the upcoming events. It is a great time to get to know other members and educate the community about the bees and what are organization is all about. Some of these events are fundraisers where we will be selling honey.
From brand new beekeeper to experienced beekeeper, you have a place at our table! You pick your comfort level, from selling the honey and raffle tickets to just talking about bees. Scan the QR codes below for more information.
If anyone is interested in assisting with managing our social media account and helping us with the newsletter, please contact Kathleen at president@pcbeekeepers.org.
Important dates in 2026 - Mark your Calendars!
Here is a link to our 2026 Calendar of Events
April 4th - First Apiary Day of the Season - Spring Cleaning
April 6th - Norroa - New Mite Treatment on the Market - Adam Pachl - Presentation available over Zoom (check Calendar for link)
April 10th-12th & 17th-19th - Spring Fair - Sign up to Volunteer
May 4th - WSU Bee Program - Bee Nutrition, Feed Additives and Gut Microbiome - Allyson Martin Ph.D.
June 1st - Alternative Hive - Log - Alasdair Mackenzie
July - No Class or Meeting - Summer Picnic
August 3rd - Fall Preparation - Dewey Caron
August 24th - WA State Pollinator Health Project - Katie Buckley
September - No Class or Meeting - State Fair
October 5th - AZ Hives - Debra Langley-Boyer
November 2nd - Gala? TBD
December 7th - No Class - Gift Exchange Potluck
Honey House Signup
Apiary Team Signup
Presenter Signup
Club Directory
(for questions or to reach out to other club members)
Or follow link to sign up without a QR
Other Education Resources
WSU Honey Bees + Pollinators Program
Here are free webinars offered by the WSU Honey Bees + Pollinators Program. For the unfamiliar, this program is part of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). The program's mission "intertwines innovative research, community engagement, and education to safeguard pollinators, pivotal to our food security and environmental health.
All Webinars are linked on our Calendar - Here is a link to our 2026 Calendar of Events
Webinar: Monocropping Systems and Bees - April 16, 6-7:30pm
Mite Management Toolbox Workshop, WSU Honey Bee and Pollinator Facility, Othello, WA - May 2, 10am-4pm
You can also follow their events page here.
The WSU Honey Bees + Pollinators Program is listed on Michigan State University's MSU Extension Pollinators & Pollination site which lists beekeeping and pollinator webinars from university extension programs across the United States. You can access these programs from wherever you are in the country at their website here.
Ask a Washington Beekeeper - WASBA
WASBA's Ongoing Project "Ask a Washington Beekeeper" is a collaboration between WASBA and GRuB and is designed to reach beekeepers who may be in outlying areas without access to a mentor or a beekeeping club. Their goal is to provide information, education and mentoring to as many people as possible, including veterans who are interested in beekeeping. An educated beekeeper is a better beekeeper and is better for the beekeeping community. Programs typically run monthly on the third Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m. Check it out and tell your friends! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/AskAWABeekeeper.
Resources and Tools
Become a Member
We are asking all of you participating on our social platforms and subscribing to please sign up for membership in 2026 and help us continue to grow our resources and programs.
For those who are already members, your membership will be renewed on your anniversary date. If you are unsure of your status, you can email president@pcbeekeepers.org. Thank you!
Hive Host and Beekeeper List
We have many hosts, but we need more BEEKEEPERS! We are building a list of those offering properties for hive hosting, as well as beekeepers who would like to service hives on host properties. With Spring coming, it is time to sign up! To join this list and be matched with a potential host or beekeeper, please sign up here.
Other Resources
Beekeeping for Veterans - https://wafarmvetco.org/healing-through-hives
Resource List for Diagnostic Testing of Honey Bees
If you want an answer on the cause of death of your bees, the following is a list of organizations in the United States that may be able to assist you. For a complete list of diagnostic labs and what they will test, go to this website: https://apiaryinspectors.org/page-18060.
If you believe the apiary was damaged though the use of pesticides and if you have registered your hive(s) with the State Department of Agriculture, you can also contact Katie Buckley (Pollinator Health Coordinator) with the WA Department of Agriculture and report the situation as a potential bee kill: kbuckley@agr.wa.gov. They usually only formally investigate if it is a large number of hives that were killed.
WSU Bee Program recommends people send their bees to the Beltsville Bee Lab, a free source in Maryland. This facility tests for bacterial, fungal and microsporidian diseases, two species of parasitic mites, and other honey bee pests. They also test for American foul brood when requested. This lab does not test for viruses or pesticides.
The following all charge for their testing services.
Virus Testing (not pesticides)
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North Carolina State - fees range from $24-$320
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National Agricultural Genotyping Center - fees range from $60-$300
Pesticide Testing (not viruses)
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Synergistic Pesticide Laboratory - this is a lab WSU's bee program has used. Direct contact is Camille Holladay (cholladay@synpestlab.com). Fees range from $165-$365.
