The Department of Agriculture in partnership with the UVI Cooperative Extension Service (CES) through its “Virgin Fresh Beekeeping Project” is sponsoring a FREE seminar for beekeepers. The seminar will focus on identifying, treating and preventing insect and diseases problems that commonly affect honeybee colonies. Specific topics to be explored will include:

• Why Varroa is not a serious problem for Africanized honeybees
• Nosema identification and treatment
• Small Hive beetle identification and recognition
• American Foul Brood and European Foul Brood identification
• Identification of sac brood, twisted wing virus, chalk brood fungus 
• Greater and Lesser wax moth, identification and control 
• Ant control

This workshop is designed to benefit: beekeepers, prospective hive inspectors, and other interested persons. The workshop presenter will be William F. Kern, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Davie, Fla.

Funding support for this training comes from the 2008 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant award to the VI Department of Agriculture. “This workshop represents a part of the on-going, advanced educational programs of the "Virgin Fresh Beekeeping Project” said Commissioner of Agriculture, Louis E. Petersen, Jr. Ph.D. “As a result of this advanced training beekeepers will have increased knowledge regarding pest control and hive maintenance. Our goal is to improve the management practices of beekeepers to increase agribusiness production and profit for producers” said the Commissioner.

The workshops will be held in both districts as follows:

St. Croix
Saturday, August 27, 2011
9AM- 11AM
UVI Research Extension Center

St. Thomas
Sunday, August 28, 2011
11AM- 1PM
Place: UVI Cooperative Ext. Service Conference Rm.

For additional information contact Errol Chichester at the Department of Agriculture at 778-0998 ext. 238 or Patricia Cabral at The Wright Group of Beekeepers 773-9976.

ATTENDANCE AT THE WORKSHOPS IS FREE!