Question 1

Can you help remove bees from my property?

Accepted Answer

CBA does not offer bee removal. If you believe you're dealing with honey bees, and would like help having them extracted from your property, please click on this link and search the list for a registered beekeeper near you.

Question 2

Can you deal with my bee swarm?

Accepted Answer

CBA gets many calls, especially during early Spring from folks wanting help with swarms. Learn more about swarms and common bee problems 
HERE
.

Question 3

Am I dealing with honey bees or wasps?

Accepted Answer

We frequently receive calls from people saying they are having trouble with honeybee hives, when what they really have are yellow jacket or hornet nests. CLICK HERE to learn the difference between honey bees, wasps/hornets and bumble bees.

Question 4

Do I need to register my honey bee hives in Connecticut?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In Connecticut, anyone owning one or more hives must apply for annual registration with the State Entomologist on or before October 1. There is no fee for the registration. For the most current state guidance and forms, please refer to official Connecticut State resources.

Question 5

What are the beekeeping laws I need to follow?

Accepted Answer

Here are the laws pertaining to honey bees in Connecticut

Sec. 22-89. 
Registration of honey bees. Each person owning one or more hives of bees shall, annually, on or before the first day of October, make application to the State Entomologist for the registration of bees. The State Entomologist shall issue to such applicant a certificate of registration without fee. The State Entomologist shall (1) keep accessible to the public a record of the registration, the name and place of residence of the registrant and the definite location in the municipality where the bees are kept and (2) transmit a copy of such information to the town clerk of the municipality in which the registrant resides. Any owner of bees who fails to register as required by the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than five dollars.

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Sec. 22-90. 
Inspection of bees for contagious diseases. The State Entomologist shall, to such extent as he deems necessary or expedient, examine apiaries and quarantine such as are diseased and treat or destroy cases of the disease known as foul brood. The State Entomologist may appoint such inspectors as he deems necessary or expedient, and he or any person whom he appoints for that purpose shall have access at reasonable times to any apiary or place where bees are kept or where honeycomb and appliances are stored. He is authorized to make suitable regulations regarding inspections and quarantine and to prescribe suitable forms for permanent records which shall be on file and open to public inspection, and to make reasonable rules for the services of such inspectors, and may pay a reasonable sum for such services. No person or corporation shall remove bees under quarantine to another locality without obtaining the written permission of an authorized inspector. No person or transportation company shall receive for transportation any colony or package of bees, unless such colony or package is accompanied by a certificate of good health, furnished by an authorized inspector. No person or transportation company shall deliver any colony or package of bees brought from any other country, province, state or territory unless accompanied by a certificate of health furnished by an authorized inspector of such country, province, state or territory. Any person or transportation company receiving a shipment of bees from without the state, unaccompanied by such certificate, shall, before delivering such shipment to its consignee, notify the State Entomologist and hold such shipment until inspected by an authorized inspector. If contagious diseases are found therein, such shipment shall be returned to the consignor or delivered to an authorized inspector of this state for treatment or destruction, provided the requirements of this section shall not apply to shipments of brood comb, with or without bees, suspected of being diseased and consigned to the State Entomologist, the agricultural experiment station or any authorized apiary inspector of the state or to the Bureau of Entomology of the United States or the United States Department of Agriculture, and provided there shall be no destruction of any shipment of bees as herein provided in the absence of reasonable notice to the consignee thereof. No person shall resist or hinder the State Entomologist, or any inspector whom he appoints, in the performance of the duties imposed by this section. No person or corporation shall sell, to be removed to another location, bees, brood comb, frames or hives that have been in use, with or without combs, until they have been inspected by an authorized inspector, who shall issue a certificate of health if they are found free of contagious disease. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be fined not more than fifty dollars.

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Connecticut’s State Apiary Inspector and Agricultural Scientist State Entomologist are responsible for overseeing honey bee health, disease reporting, and apiary regulation across the state. Their details are listed below and they can be contacted directly with questions about hive health, suspected diseases, inspections, or other beekeeping concerns.

Paula Wolf
State Apiary Inspector
123 Huntington Avenue
New Haven, CT 06504
203-530-5743
paula.wolf@ct.gov

Jacob Ricker
Agricultural Scientist/State Entomologist
123 Huntington Avenue
New Haven, CT 06504
203-974-8474
jacob.ricker@ct.gov

Question 6

How do I make Sugar Cakes?

Accepted Answer

Learn how to make sugar cakes to feed your bees HERE >

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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Can you help remove bees from my property?

Can you deal with my bee swarm?

Am I dealing with honey bees or wasps?

Do I need to register my honey bee hives in Connecticut?

What are the beekeeping laws I need to follow?

How do I make Sugar Cakes?

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