Michigan Beekeepers Association 2025 Spring Conference and pre-conference activities

Ana Heck<heckanar@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - January 07, 2025

The spring beekeeping conference will be held in East Lansing and include five tracks of presentations on beginning beekeeping, honey bee colony health, pollinator plants, alternative hive styles and more.

An audience sitting in seats facing the front of the room. — Participants at a past beekeeping conference. Photo by Rich Wieske.

The Michigan Beekeeper Association and Michigan State University Extension (MSU Extension) are excited to welcome beginning and experienced beekeepers to the Michigan Beekeepers Association's Spring Conference on Saturday, March 1 and pre-conference activities on Friday, Feb. 28.

Michigan Beekeepers Association's Spring Conference

The spring conference will take place at the MSU Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing, Michigan. Online registration and additional conference information is available through the Michigan Beekeepers Association's website. View the spring conference agenda for session topics, which include five tracks of presentations on beginning beekeeping, honey bee health, hive styles, gardening for pollinators and more.

Jamie Ellis, PhD, will deliver the conference’s keynote presentation on “A Year in the Life of a Honey Bee Colony”. Ellis is the Gahan Endowed Professor of Entomology in the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida. He has a BS degree in biology from the University of Georgia (USA) and a PhD in entomology from Rhodes University in South Africa. At the University of Florida, Ellis has responsibilities in extension, instruction and research.

Regarding his extension work, Ellis works with assorted clientele through diverse programming such as the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Bee College and the UF/IFAS Master Beekeeper Program. As an instructor, Ellis supervises PhD and master’s students. Currently, Ellis and his team have over 30 active research projects in the fields of honey bee husbandry, conservation and ecology. You can listen to Ellis on his popular podcast, “Two Bees in a Podcast.”

Additional spring conference speakers include Morgan Carr-Markell, PhD, Candace Casados, Ryan Dinehart, Ana Heck, Charlotte Hubbard, Adam Ingrao, PhD, Jan Lawson, Janet Macunovich, Anthony Meyer, PhD, Meghan Milbrath, PhD, Mike Sautter, Susan Stejskal, PhD, Jason Towers, Richard Wahl, David Zimmerman and Rich Wieske. View the speaker bios and presentation descriptions to learn about the conference presenters and their presentations.

The Michigan Beekeepers Association Spring Conference will include a large vendor area for beekeepers to find beekeeping equipment, bee-related art and crafts, educational materials and more. Vendors can register for tables at the spring conference.

Register for the Michigan Beekeepers Association Spring Conference

Pre-conference activities

Honey Bee Anatomy and Dissection Workshop
Friday, February 28, 2:00 - 3:30 P.M.
MSU Natural Science Building, 288 Farm Ln, Room 352, East Lansing, MI 48824

Zachary Huang, PhD, will instruct a 1.5 hour workshop on honey bee anatomy and dissection. The workshop will include a presentation detailing the biology of honey bee structure, real time video showing how to manipulate a honey bee under a dissecting scope, and an opportunity to dissect your own bees under a dissecting scope with provided forceps. Time will be provided for questions and individual coaching on dissections. Children and minors must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. The cost of the workshop is $40. Registration for the Honey Bee Anatomy and Dissection Workshop is required.

MSU Pollinator Performance Center Tour
Friday, February 28, 4:00 - 5:00 P.M.
4090 College Rd, Building #0470E, Lansing, MI 48910

Tour MSU's Pollinator Performance Center, which focuses on research and extension to support beekeepers, growers whose crops depend on insect pollination, and the public. During this tour, you'll get to check out the honey processing room, an overwintering chamber, beekeeping equipment, and other educational stations. Children and minors are welcome to attend, but they must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. This event is free. Registration for the MSU Pollinator Performance Center tour is required.

Register for Pre-Conference Activities with Michigan State University

Stay connected with MSU Extension and Michigan Pollinator Initiative

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).