Kauai celebrates National Honey Bee Day

LIHUE — In celebration of National Honey Bee Day, the Kauai Beekeepers Association (KBee), in partnership with the Kauai Community College Apiary Program, will host a series of demonstrations and presentations on beekeeping today at the KCC campus in Puhi.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the KCC Community Market, and repeating at 12:30 p.m., an hour long presentation on getting started in beekeeping and a honey harvesting demonstration will bee lead by KBee members and alumni of the KCC Apiary Program.

From 2 to 4:30 p.m., the National Honey Bee Day program will shift across the parking lot to the KCC Bee Lab, located in the old OCET administrative offices at the north end of the campus’ main parking area, where the KCC Apiary Program and KBee members will host an open house. Informal discussions and presentations on beekeeping operations, opportunities and future programs will be the focus of activities for interested participants.

Honey from the KCC Apiary Program will be available for sale at the demonstration, as well as information on upcoming apiary courses offered by the college’s Office of Continuing Education and Training. For more information about upcoming apiary courses contact OCET at 245 8318.

National Honey Bee Day was started by grassroots-minded beekeepers to build community awareness of the bee industry, through education and promotion. For more information about National Honey Bee Day visit ww.nationalhoneybeeday.com.

The Kauai Beekeepers Association is a community based organization. Its chief purpose is to advocate for beekeeping, beekeepers and, most importantly, honey bees. Honey bees are crucial for food production and are essential pollinators for an estimated one-third of the world’s food supply.

For more information about KBee contact Jimmy Trujillo at 346 7725 or jtrujill@hawaii.edu.