The Orange County Beekeepers Association (OCBA) has a number of resources available for beekeepers and members of the community. One resource is the “What’s in Bloom” page, which allows beekeepers to see what plants and flowers their bees are currently foraging on. The OCBA also has a photo gallery featuring beautiful images of honey bees, apiaries, club activities, and events.
For those in the market for local honey and hive products, OCBA members sell a variety of these items. The association also offers extraction equipment rental to members for a small fee, with the equipment able to be reserved for a maximum of four days. In addition, OCBA operates a Swarm Patrol to provide a humane response to honey bee swarms in the community. These beekeepers have the necessary skills and equipment to safely remove a swarm.
The OCBA’s Master Beekeeper Coordinator, Randall Austin, has written a series of articles on a wide range of beekeeping topics. These articles can be found in the “Randall’s Archive” page, and can be easily searched using the command or control f function.
The OCBA also has a list of helpful links for those interested in learning more about beekeeping. These links include the North Carolina State Beekeepers’ Association, North Carolina Apiary Inspection Services, the NC State University Apiculture Program, and the Cooperative Extension Bee Health, among others. Additionally, there are links to resources on attracting pollinators to gardens using native plants.
Overall, the OCBA website is a go-to source for anyone interested in bees and beekeeping.