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The Breadth of Bees...
Apiculture is the science of raising or maintaining colonies of bees and their hives (beekeeping). Known primarily for their pollinating activities, our nation’s 4,000+ native bee species also produce honey, wax, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and even venom – all of which are collected and sold by farmers and beekeepers for their nutritional and medicinal purposes.
Bees in Agriculture
Archaeological evidence shows us that the relationship between humans and bees is at least17,000years old (Pager, 1976), with the earliest depictions of human honey hunting and harvesting of bee products occurring 4,000 yearsbeforeour earliest systems of domesticated agriculture; but it wasn’t until nearly 14,000 years later that we find the first evidence of sophisticated bee colony management as part of an agricultural system (Bloch et al., 2010, PNAS).
With more than 4,000 native bees in North America, honey bees take much of the spotlight in agriculture - but they are not native to our country. They were imported from Europe in the 17th century.
Early USDA Beekeeping and Apiculture
The USDA began its research on bees in 1891 at the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. Now there are many USDA-related research facilities as well as other federal agencies supporting bees. (SeeFederal Bee Research Productsbelow).
Interested in some basic information from the earlier years? Take a look at the documents below.
- Beekeeping. 1905. F. Benton (In charge of Apicultural Investigations). U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmer’s Bulletin No. 59 (revised)
- The Rearing of Queen Bees. 1905. Phillips, E.F. (Expert Apiculturist). U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bureau of Entomology Bulletin No. 55
- Beekeeping in the United States. 1980.Martin, E. C, E. Oertel, N. P. Nye, et al.U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 335 (revised)
Discover digitized, historical materials in NAL's Internet Archive Collection [archive.org] using these queries:
SEARCH Dynamic Queries for Apiculture Content at the Library
- Beekeeping / Apiculture (1572 to 1975)
- Beekeeping / Apiculture (1976 to Present)
The History of Honey Bee Culture
This NAL online exhibit highlights historical resources from the earliest published works on honeybee husbandry, including items from Thomas Hill (1572) and Charles Butler (1609).
Resources for Starting a Hive or Bee Colony
Thinking of Keeping a Hive?
Interested in learning how to build and maintain a beehive? There are resources available to help — for both the curious and the committed! Get started here with authoritative publications.
General Guidelines and Foundational Information
- Bee Basics: An Introduction to Our Native Bees (2011,USDA Forest Service)(PDF |1,516 KB)
Native pollinators, particularly bees other than honey bees, have been pollinating the continent’s flowering plants since long before the arrival of the European honey bee - and continue to be the majority pollinator...especially when it comes to native plants. - Beekeeping for Beginners (1974,USDA)
Designed for the new hive owner, this bulletin provides information on the basics to get you started including equipment, colony behavior, bee lines, and beehive designs. - Good Beekeeping Practices for Sustainable Agriculture (2021,FAO)
An extensive guideline that covers beekeeping from ground-level definitions to full production processes. Catered to small-scale beekeepers. - Instrumental Insemination of Queen Bees(1970, USDA Agricultural Research Service)
A manual introducing instrumental insemination of honey bees to beekeepers, scientists, and technical workers in apiculture.
Expert and Extension Assistance
Federal, State, and University Extension personnel are available to provide guidance, information, and technical services. Reach out to your local offices for expertise and visit their websites for additional resources and tools.
Find Technical Services Near You
- USDA Programs and Resources to Support Beekeepers
Valuablesummary of USDA insurance programs, disaster assistance programs, loan programs, and other resources for beekeepers. - USDA Service Center Locations
Find your local USDA Service Center and access services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies. - Local Extension Services[nifa.usda.gov]
Your local university extension service has expertise in your growing environment across species and crops of all kinds. They canoffer evaluation services, inspection information, and help identifying pests, etc. - Partner Organizations
The USDA has many partnerships with non-profit organizations that curate a variety of informational resources.
Important Considerations - Laws and Regulations for Bees
Each state and/or county in the United States has laws and regulations that pertain to raising and caring for bees. These laws are designed to protect bees from diseases and pesticide misuse, protect communities, and monitor bee colonies. Contact your State Department of Agriculture and Local Government offices for details on zoning and permitting of bee colonies, apiary regulations and laws, and information on hive inspection requirements.
Federal Bee Research Products
Reports and Articles
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2022 USDA Annual Strategic Pollinator Priorities Report (PDF | 1.82 MB)
This 2022report outlines the coordinated efforts of the USDA and partner research priorities in five pollinator health subject-matter areas: status and trends; forage, habitat, and nutrition; environmental stressors; pests and pathogens; and genetics and biology.
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Honey Bee Surveys and Reports (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service)
NASS’s three annual surveys and reports (Honey,theHoney Bee Colonies, and theCost of Pollination) provide information on hive and colony health, honey production, and economic impact.
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Bee-related Research Articles
Use NAL's SEARCH to locate articles in the library's collection on apiculture research and issues that impact beekeepers.
Data Sets, Software, and Modeling Tools
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Ag Data Commons
Access open data relevant to USDA-funded agricultural research on beekeeping or apiculture.
USDA Bee Research and Programs
- Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
- Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service
- The Climate Hubs
- Farm Service Agency (FSA)
- Forest Service (FS)
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
For a complete list of Federal and external partners, visitUSDA Pollinators.
USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Program
The program provides species identification tools, thousands of images, and information on the bee-plant interaction.
USDA Honey Dashboard
Visit the Honey Dashboard to learn about production, consumer demand, imports, and more in a visual format.
Beescape Online Mapping System
USDA and multi-institute partners.
Access the Beescape Map Tool to view pollinator habitat scores in your area. Do you know the landscape that will promote your bees’ health?
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Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)
