Registration for our 2024 Short Course in Beekeeping is NOW OPEN!
BUMBA Meetings Are Free, Open to the Public, and a Great Way to Learn
attendees at 2009 field day session

Keeping bees is all about connections: between insects and plants; between pollinators and our food supply; between the wonder of learning and the pride of directly participating, and between people who share the art, craft, and science of beekeeping with each other (along with some refreshments).

The best way to know what is going on in the world of the bees is to hang out in the world of the beekeepers! [more]

Education and Outreach
observation hive at UMD Day

We Love To Talk About Honeybees

BUMBA Beekeepers participate in numerous public demonstrations and events throughout the year. This photo shows member Nikki Thompson explaining the goings on inside an observation hive at the Summer 2009 Maryland Day at the University of Maryland/College Park.

If you are interested in including beekeeping information at your school, club, church, event, or other gathering, please take a look at what we have to offer and how we participate in our communities. [more]

Frequently Asked Questions About Beekeeping
dazed bees after sucrocide treatment

Of Course You Have Questions!

Curious about beekeeping? Take a look at some of the most common questions we receive about beekeeping in the Prince Georges County area.

If you don't see your question here, you can send it in for review by a group of experienced beekeepers! [more]

package of bees being emptied into hive

See How to Start a Hive

There are several ways to launch a new hive, but one of the most common is called "installing a package" (a box!) of honeybees.

Click on the link at right to watch an experienced beekeeper install a package. [more]

swarm on a small tree

Have Bees and Need Help?

BUMBA has members throughout the Prince George's County, MD, area, including many with decades of experience.

Click here if you think you have a swarm of honeybees that needs a new home!

Click here if you are a beekeeper who needs a hand!

Each short course ends with a field day

Support Our Apiary Inspectors

Beekeeping in Maryland benefits from an incredible resource: a team of 6 expert apiary inspectors who help us prevent disease, grow healthy bees, and pollinate Free State Green Spaces. [more]

Want to learn how to become a beekeeper?

Our 7 week Short Course in Beekeeping will be beginning in February 2024! If you want to start keeping bees in this coming season, taking this class will give you the foundation you need to be successful. Learning about beekeeping is a life-long endeavor, but this course is intended to give you the tools and the vocabulary to begin that journey. [more]