Upcoming Events
Sunday, 3/16 – Package Bee Installation Workshop
Join BYBA Board Member, Michael Cummings as he walks us through, step by step, the introduction of a new package of bees. He will share plenty of tips to help you get your bees off to a great start!
Tuesday, 3/18 – New Bee Fundamentals/Special Topics Zoom Call – Join our regular hosts as they discuss seasonal topics and answer your questions. Come prepared, if you like, with pictures and stories to share. New Bee Fundamentals will take place from 6:30 – 7:30. At 7:30, we move to more advanced areas in Special Topics which runs until 8:30. Beekeepers of all levels are welcome to join for one or both sessions.
Saturday, 3/22 – First Hive Inspection – Join BYBA Board Member, Barbara Giobbi as she runs through the first hive inspection.
Tuesday, 3/25 – March Regular Meeting featuring Dr Scott McArt of the Cornell Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies – Neonicitinoid Insecticides: Tales from the science-industry-policy interface
Please note that our regular monthly meetings are free and open to the public. Please register at the link above. We look forward to seeing you!
Welcome to the Back Yard Beekeepers Association. With over 400 members, our association has grown to become one of the Nation’s largest regional clubs for beekeeping hobbyists. Some of our members are just getting started as beekeepers, and some have enjoyed this hobby for years. All share an interest in the wonderful and remarkable world of the honey bee.
The BYBA is a 501(c)3 non-profit, charitable organization.
Dr. Scott McArt – Neonicitinoid insecticides: Tales from the science-industry-policy interface
In August 2018, with funding provided through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund to research potential adverse impacts of pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, Cornell began developing a risk-benefit analysis of neonicotinoid insecticide usage in New York State with the following three goals: 1) Estimate the pest control and plant protection benefits of neonicotinoid insecticides under current usage, 2) Estimate the risk from neonicotinoids to pollinators, and 3) Evaluate the relative benefits and risks of likely neonicotinoid substitutes (i.e., other insecticides or pest control strategies) compared to neonicotinoids. The resulting 432-page report, published in 2020, helped shape the 2024 Birds & Bees Protection Act, which is the first legislation in the USA to prohibit the use of neonicotinoid treatments on corn, soybean, and wheat seeds, as well as use on outdoor ornamental plants and turfs. Between release of the report and passing of the Birds & Bees Protection Act, there were multiple attempts to undermine the science and spread disinformation and misinformation. This talk will describe some of these attempts, explain why they occurred and their effectiveness, and how evidence-based legislation on this topic can potentially be improved via public engagement.
Scott McArt is an associate professor of pollinator health in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University, where he helps run the Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies and the Cornell Chemical Ecology Core Facility. McArt earned his BA from Dartmouth College, his MS from the University of Alaska-Anchorage, and his PhD from Cornell University. He spent two years as a USDA postdoctoral fellow at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst prior to starting as a Research Scientist at Cornell in 2014. In 2017, he started as a tenure-track assistant professor. McArt’s main research interests are ecotoxicology and disease ecology. His lab is currently focused on understanding how pesticides, pathogens, and habitat impact the health of honey bees and native wild pollinators. He is keenly interested in working with stakeholders (beekeepers, farmers, regulatory agencies, and other members of the public) to do science that addresses real-world problems and improves pollinator conservation and health. This works well with his 60/40 research/extension appointment, which gives him the privilege of interacting with a wide array of passionate people. When not engaged in research, McArt enjoys trying to stay in running shape (often with his loyal dog, James), going on any flavor of outdoor adventure with his family, and amateur nature photography.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS MEETING IS IN PERSON AND OUR SPEAKER WILL BE JOINING US IN PERSON. There is not an option for participants to join virtually. Please join us at 7 PM to allow time to socialize and chat with other members of the club. Our speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 PM.
If you are unable to join us, club members will be able to view this and past monthly meeting recordings in the Members Only portion of the website under BYBA Presentations.
Our general membership meetings are held on the last Tuesday of most months at 7:30 PM at the Norfield Church in Weston, CT.
Please see our Calendar of Events for details.
64 Norfield Rd
Weston, CT 06883
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