Click on Events on our menu above, and you will see a calendar. Scroll through the months to see when we post our meetings. Club meetings are typically held on the third Tuesday of odd numbered months at 6:30pm at the San Antonio Botanical Garden (Classroom B).
Yes! Our members include commercial beekeepers, bee hobbyists, and bee enthusiasts. If you are interested, we invite you to become a member.
Alamo Area Beekeepers Association (AABA) recommends taking an Introduction to Beekeeping class before purchasing any bees or beekeeping equipment. The Texas A&M Agrilife Extension in Bexar County typically holds a “Beekeeping 101” class in the spring (March/April) and the fall (September/October). See link below for the Spring 2024 class.
https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/beekeeping-101-live-class/
There are some good (and not so good) beekeeping education accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. We suggest starting with a solid foundation provided in an introductory course before going too far down the social media beekeeping wormhole. Also, please keep in mind that many of these accounts are not located in the central Texas area and situations can be vastly different by location. Your best bet is to find an experienced mentor in the area once you get your bees and join your local bee club.
We suggest new beekeepers start by purchasing at least 2 starter colonies commonly referred to as nucs. A nuc (nucleus colony) typically contains 5 frames of bees (~10,000 bees) with an established queen bee. Most nucs are designed for Langstroth style hives (stackable boxes with wooden or plastic frames) which is the most common style of hive in the US. The nuc will be in a temporary hive structure so you can transport them and then you will need to transfer the frames into a permanent Langstroth hive body shortly after bringing them home. To do this you will need to purchase beekeeping equipment and protective gear before picking up your bees. Another common way to obtain bees is to purchase a “package” of bees (3 pounds of worker bees and a caged queen). While this is a cheaper route than purchasing a nuc, a package is also more difficult to get established and we do not recommend them for brand new beekeepers.
Recommended Beginner Beekeeping Books:
“The Backyard Beekeeper” by Kim Flottum (Fourth Edition)
“Beekeeping for Dummies” by Howland Blackiston
“First Lessons in Beekeeping” by Keith Delaplane
“Queenspotting” by Hilary Kearney
Recommended Beekeeping Podcasts:
Beekeeping Today Podcast
Two Bees in a Podcast
Beekeeper Confidential
There are a handful of bee suppliers in the San Antonio area recommended by AABA members. We suggest ordering your bees by January or February, although the suppliers usually have some extra nucs throughout the spring and early summer. Another option is to purchase a full colony with the hive equipment. This is especially useful if you are getting the bees after the nectar flow (April – June) has ended.
San Antonio area Bee Suppliers:
The Bee Place (Somerset, TX)
Borntrager Bee Farm (Beeville, TX)
Holdman Honey (Seguin, TX)
8 Mile Honey (Uvalde, TX)
Beekeeping Equipment and Protective Gear:
The Bee Supply (formerly Texas Bee Supply) – online or store in Round Rock, TX
Saint Abi’s Bees – Fischer, TX (by appt only)
Mann Lake – online
Dadant – online
*While Amazon and Tractor Supply also carry beekeeping gear, the quality can be hit or miss.
Texas Apiary Inspection Service Bee Removal List
https://txbeeinspection.tamu.edu/bee-removal/
Texas Association of Professional Bee Removers