Welcome to the National Honey Bee Awareness Day and the National Honey Bee Day Website

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Proclamation click for larger view

The National Honey Bee Day program started with a simple concept. Bring together beekeepers, bee associations and clubs, as well as other interested groups and individuals to connect with communities and advance beekeeping. By working together, and harnessing the efforts that so many individuals and groups already accomplish, and using a united effort on one day a year, the returns and message can be magnified.

The primary goals of the National Honey Bee Day program: 1) Promotion and the advancement of beekeeping. 2) Educate the public to honey bees and beekeeping. 3) Make the public aware of environmental concerns.

The first National Honey Bee Day program was held August 22, 2009. The day was officially recognized with a proclamation issues by Thomas J. Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States of America.

The 2010 National Honey Bee Day program, held August 21, had 20 states with 46 county association and individual programs being simultaneously held throughout the country. The programs ranged from hosting honey tasting events, educational seminars at environmental centers, observation hives at county fairs, to movie reviews. The combining of individual events, all coordinated to magnify the messages on a national scale, was a great success. We hope that each and every association making the effort was rewarded for their efforts through increased membership and public support of the bee industry within their own communities.

We already are working on the National Honey Bee Day program scheduled for August 20, 2011. If you are a beekeeper and do not see your association listed on the 2010 participants list, we challenge you to encourage their participation in 2011. If you are not a beekeeper, please seek out your local beekeeping association and support their efforts. Although National Honey Bee Day is officially recognized one day each year, the message, program, and efforts to help the honey bee extend throughout the entire year.

Please take the time to search through this website and the pages we added to benefit everyone. You will find useful and practical information on ideas and suggestions in regards to what you can do to help the bees, and the environment..

We would like to extend a special thank you to Tina Bowen from Terre Haute, Indiana. Tina (and her son Zack) was instrumental to the National Honey Bee Day program by initiating and getting the U.S. Department of Agriculture proclamation completed once again this year. We not only say thank you for their efforts in all they do nationally, but also the efforts in their local program that so many benefit.

Please read the information on the “sponsors” page. The National Honey Bee Day program is 100% free for bee associations, bee groups, and concerned individuals to participate. (No membership fees, no yearly dues, and no obligation.) But that does not mean we do not need some help. We greatly appreciate our sponsors and contributors. Please take the time to visit the sponsors page and if ever given the chance, please say thank you to those contributing towards making this program a success. Their contributions benefit the entire bee industry. We appreciate their support.

We will list any bee related group, association, or programs put on by individuals, as long as the minimum requirements, listed on the yearly participants pages, are fulfilled and verifiable.

The National Honey Bee Day program is always striving to build upon the existing program, and expand our outreach while moving forward. We value feedback and constructive comments. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any suggestions or questions.

Whether you are a beekeeper, non-beekeeper, farmer, backyard gardener, a nature lover, a concerned steward of the environment, or anyone else, please consider getting involved on some level. Together, we can make a difference. Thank you.

This website is maintained through the generosity and support of Webdex who provides updates and assistance. We appreciate their efforts and are glad to have them as a sponsor of the National Honey Bee Day program.