Central Virginia Beekeepers Association

03/13/2026

Central Virginia Beekeeper Association meets at Ivy Creek Educational Building

03/13/2026

Central Virginia Beekeeper Association meets at Ivy Creek Educational Building

03/05/2026

03/05/2026

Seeing a honeybee swarm in the central Virginia area? Albemarle, Charlottesville, Scottsville, etc? Contact the swarm rescue squad at https://www.centralvirginiabeekeepers.org/
We will give those bees a good home!

The Central Virginia Beekeepers Association builds community and protects pollinators in the Blue Ridge and beyond.

02/23/2026

We’re excited to share the return of the VSBA & Virginia Cooperative Extension Quarterly Webinar Program, hosted by Dr. James Wilson, Virginia Tech’s Extension Apiculturist. This collaborative series brings science-based, practical beekeeping education directly to beekeepers across Virginia—br...

02/23/2026

02/23/2026

The flowering plants across Virginia’s fields, forests, roadsides, and backyards provide honey bees with the nutrients they require to survive and thrive — in the form of nectar and pollen. But not all forage is created equal.

🍯 Nectar – Energy for the Colony

Nectar is primarily sugar and water, but quality varies widely by plant species, time of day, and environmental conditions. Sugar concentrations can range from 5% to 92%, and honey bees use that concentration to guide their foraging decisions. Higher sugar concentrations are perceived as higher value.

The primary sugars in nectar are sucrose, glucose, and fructose, along with trace minerals, vitamins, fats, and enzymes. This is why honey is more nutritionally complex than plain sugar syrup.

Darker honeys, such as buckwheat, often contain more minerals than lighter honeys. However, mineral-rich honeys can increase f***l solids, which may create challenges during winter confinement when bees cannot take cleansing flights. This is one reason some beekeepers choose to remove fall honey and feed sugar syrup before winter.

Certain plants — including azalea and rhododendron — contain naturally occurring toxins in their nectar. While poisoning incidents are rare, it highlights the complexity of natural forage systems.

🌼 Pollen – Protein for Brood Rearing

If nectar fuels adult bees, pollen fuels brood production.

Protein levels in pollen vary dramatically, ranging from 5% to 40%. Bees require at least 20% protein pollen to properly rear brood, and pollens above 25% are considered excellent.

Examples:
• Poor protein: cypress (2.5%), blueberry (13.9%), sunflower (12.9%)
• Good to excellent: vetch (24%), white clover (25.9%), viper’s bugloss (34.9%)

But protein percentage alone is not enough. Bees require 10 essential amino acids they cannot produce themselves. Some pollens are deficient in one or more of these amino acids. For example:

• Pine pollen lacks four essential amino acids
• Dandelion lacks two
• Corn and willow lack one

Because of this, honey bees must collect pollen from a variety of plant species. The amino acids from different pollens complement one another to create a complete diet for developing larvae.

🌿 Why Forage Diversity Matters in Virginia

Colony strength is directly tied to landscape diversity. Monocultures may provide a strong nectar or pollen flow for a short window, but diverse forage supports balanced nutrition across the season.

Encouraging native plants, supporting pollinator-friendly landscapes, and understanding seasonal bloom cycles all play a role in maintaining healthy colonies.

Healthy forage supports:
• Strong brood production
• Improved immune function
• Better overwintering success
• Reduced nutritional stress

As Virginia beekeepers, understanding the biology behind forage helps us make better management decisions and advocate for pollinator-supportive environments across the Commonwealth.

02/23/2026

02/21/2026

Heads up! The next CVBA meeting is scheduled for March 12th. Stay turned!

02/19/2026

Need help rescuing a honeybee swarm in Albemarle County? Please message us with your contact information and we'll get back to you ASAP! Our beekeepers can help! 🐝🌼💛🌟😊