Who knew that Philadelphia is “the cradle of American beekeeping”? Not me, until now, thanks to the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, and a press release the group has issued announcing its 7th Annual Natural Beekeeping Symposium, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, at Temple University.
The all-day event is “packed with beekeeping insight and scientific wonderfulness,” with a lineup of experts who will speak on topics ranging from protecting hives from varroa mites to providing them with a nutritionally optimal array of flowers.
The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild began in 2009 as an informal group of local beekeepers. It has blossomed since then into a thriving nonprofit that “promotes urban beekeeping and raises awareness of the importance of bees to our environment.” The group maintains a busy calendar of events for both experienced and wannabeekeepers.
Other upcoming events include a two-hour introduction to beekeeping at Awbury Arboretum on Feb. 18, and a three-day course titled Getting Started with Honey Bees, that meets on three Saturdays in March, May and July, the first of which will be held March 4 at the St. James School, located at 3217 Clearfield St.
The guild holds monthly meetings that are open to the public, usually on the third Thursday of each month, at the St. James School.
For more about the guild and its upcoming events, check out the guild’s website and/or its Facebook page.