World Bee Day 2024; May 20th.

FORUM: “Bee engaged with Youth”. World Bee Day 2024. Bees and other pollinators are essential for our existence, sustaining agriculture and biodiversity worldwide. With over 20,000 species of bees and various other wild pollinators, they face challenges from human activities, such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. In recognition of the pivotal role that youth can play in addressing challenges bees and other pollinators are facing, the theme of World Bee Day 2024 will highlight the importance of involving young people in beekeeping and pollinator conservation efforts, recognizing them as the future stewards of our environment. This year's the World Bee Day 2024 campaign aims to raise awareness among youth and other stakeholders about the essential role of bees and other pollinators in agriculture, ecological balance, and biodiversity preservation. By engaging young people in beekeeping activities, educational initiatives, and advocacy efforts, we can inspire a new generation of environmental leaders and empower them to make a positive impact on the world. Fostering more diverse agricultural systems and reducing reliance on toxic chemicals can facilitate increased pollination. This approach can improve food quality and quantity, benefiting both human populations and the ecosystem. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #worldbeeday, #20May, #SavetheBees.

EVENTS: On May 22nd, The Government of Slovenia and FAO organize the International forum for action on sustainable beekeeping and pollination; This hybrid event entitled “Bees for people, planet and peace” will be held from the FAO headquarters starting at 09.00 GMT. The event brings together governments, experts, business and civil society to give a regular fresh impetus to the international cooperation on beekeeping and pollination and to align it with the quickly changing needs. It also provides a platform to share experience from beekeeping and pollination development projects and initiatives around the globe – to learn and get inspired by them. The forum will provide an opportunity for in-depth dialogue and reflection. Tune up to watch the livestream!

Worldwide events

• In Geneva May 21st, 2024; The celebration of World Bee Day will take place at the Palace of Nations. Find out more
• In Slovenia; From 22 to 23 May 2024; will be held the International Forum for Sustainable Beekeeping. Find out more
• In Madrid, Spain; From June 15 to 16th will be held the Bee Health Symposium 2024. Find out more and register

INITIATIVES: Learn about the FAO's Global Action on Pollination Services for Sustainable Agriculture and about the TECA - Technologies and Practices for Small Agricultural Producers.

PUBLICATIONS: Guidance, tools and analysis on bees and other pollinators.

BEE TALKS

• What are the first signs of swarming?
• Did my bees really swarm twice? 
• Why did some bees stay in the hive when it swarmed? Can I cut swarm cells out of my hive? 
• I see a lot of pollen in my honey supers. Should I worry?
• How can I use a double deep to manage swarms? 
• When using a double screen, can I put the queen in the top box?
• How do I know when to add another brood box? Should I treat with oxalic acid right now? 
• Should I cyclically treat using oxalic acid? What are the requirements for selling honey in Connecticut?

• Welcome and announcements Watch transparent hive creation & follow along (more discussion) 
• Early season package installation cautions & reminders Do bees like to feed on forsythia?
• How do you grind pollen - what are the sizes etc.?
•  iNaturalist - how to use it and what CBA is doing to collaborate 
• View graph showing weight and temperature inside a colony (additional graph of another hive 
• What should I spray new bee packages with?
•  Walkthrough of oxylic acid label and instructions. 
• Is a dribble as effective as a vaporization? 
• Should I be feeding in March? 
• How will I know if my bees need food right now? 
• My bees haven’t eaten their sugar cakes - can I reuse them?
• Will the solar eclipse affect on my bees’ behavior? 
• What is checkerboard mite check? 
• What do the blocks mean on a sticky board?
• Can feeders be left on during vaporization treatment?
•  Which electric fencing do you recommend for bee yards? 
• Will it hurt my dogs? 
• Broodminder gave sensors to beekeepers in the eclipse trail to monitor activity Is there a certain time of day that is better for vaporization treatment?
• Is anyone using Slovenian hives in CT? 
• Can I convert from Langstroth? 
• Will bees get shocked by an electric fence?
• Do we need to worry about bees creating toxic honey if there is mountain laurel in our area?
• Should I put bacon on my bear fence? 
• No. No you should not. How’s the transparent hive doing?
• View additional graph showing temperature and sensor data in a different hive Excitement about transparent hive experiment

• Example of a bee carrying pollen 
• When do I install Supers? 
• How do I prevent mass hive death? 
• What’s the difference in modern mite reading methods? 
• When do I add a second hive box?
• How do I prevent beetle infestations? 
• When do I use an excluder?
• How can I encourage specific hive entrance use? 
• Can I buy “winter-proof” bees? 
• How does Thymol actually WORK? 
• Why do my royal jelly cells look empty? 
• How can I encourage specific hive entrance use? 
• Why are my frames moldy?
• Do I have too few bees? 
• Should I reverse my boxes? 
• How Is royal jelly harvested for sales? 
• When should I interfere with my bees?