top of page
Honey Jars
December 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: ​How Arizona Beekeepers LLC Sells Honey Without Competition
Speaker: Duane Combs, Arizona Beekeepers LLC, WAS Regional Director
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thursday December 4th, 2025, 7:00PM Mountain Standard Time (2:00 AM UTC Friday December 5th, 2025 )

pexels-timothy-paule-ii-1406954_edited.jpg
October 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: ​Nosema in Honey Bees: Understanding and Mitigating the Threat
Speaker: Dr. Jessica Webb and Emilia Burnham, University of California, Riverside
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thursday October 23, 2025, 7:00PM Mountain Daylight Time (1:00 AM UTC Friday October 24, 2025 )

honey-bees-ventilation-beehive-entrance_edited.jpg
June 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: ​Our Bees are Dying from Stress, Let's Look at the Effects of Heat
Speaker: Duane Combs, Arizona Beekeepers LLC
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thursday June 26, 2025, 7:00PM Mountain Daylight Time (1:00 AM UTC Friday June 27, 2025 )

honey-bees-337695_1920.jpg
May 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: ​Bee Colony Losses
Speaker: Dr Natalie Steinhauer with Dr Dewey Caron
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Tuesday May 20, 2025, 7:00PM Mountain Daylight Time (1:00 AM UTC Friday May 21, 2025 )

Celestial Bronze2.jpg
April 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: ​Even You Can Raise Queen Bees!  But Should You?
Speaker: Ron Miksha, Calgary
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thrusday April 24, 2025, 7:00PM Mountain Daylight Time (1:00 AM UTC Friday April 25, 2025 )

varroa_edited.jpg
March 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: Breeding Bees That Bite Mites
Speaker: Dr. Krispn Given, Purdue University
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thrusday March 20, 2025, 7:30PM Mountain Daylight Time (1:30 AM UTC Friday March 21 )

propolis_edited.jpg
February 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: The Benefits of Propolis to Honey Bee Colonies
Speaker: Dr. Marla Spivak, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thrusday Feburary 13, 2025, 5:30PM Mountain Standard Time (12:30 AM UTC Friday Feb. 14 )

20240124T221911_edited.jpg
January 2025 Mini-Conference
Topic: Honeybee Overwintering Thermodynamics
Speaker: Dr. Scott Debnam, University of Montana
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thrusday January 23, 2025, 7:30PM Mountain Standard Time (2:30 AM UTC Thursday Jan. 24 )

Justin with bee hives.jpg
November 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic: Mite Control Using Biomimicry
Speakers: Justin Sanchez and Carlos Perea, Terra Vera
Moderator: Scott Steinfeldt
Event details

Thrusday November 14, 2024, 7PM Mountain Standard Time (2 AM UTC Thursday November 15)

Celestial Bronze2_edited.jpg
July 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic: Queen Rearing Large and Small
Speakers: Ted Miksa and Dr Larry Connor
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Wednesday July 17, 2024, 7PM Mountain Daylight Time (1 AM UTC Thursday July 18)

IMG_3262_edited.jpg
June 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic: Quality Drones and Africanized Bees
Speakers: Dr Garrett Slater and Monica King
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Wednesday June 19, 2024, 7PM Mountain Daylight Time (1 AM UTC Thursday June 20)

IMG_5935(1).JPEG
May 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic:  IPM for Varroa, Supplemental Feeds and Atypical Forage
Speakers: Dr. Dewey Caron and Kathryn Thompson
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Wednesday May 22, 2024, 7PM Mountain Daylight Time (1 AM UTC Thursday May 23)

queen_edited_edited_edited.jpg
April 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic:  Queen problems, Swarms and Varroa
Speakers: Dr James Tew and Daniel (DW) Schoenthal
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Tuesday April 16th, 2024, 7PM Mountain Daylight Time (1 AM UTC Wednesday April 17th)

small-hive-beetle_edited.jpg
March 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic: An Evening about Small Hive Beetle 
Speakers: Dr Lewis Bartlett and Dr. Ethel M. Villalobos
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Wednesday March 13th, 2024, 7PM Mountain Daylight Time (1 AM UTC Thrusday March 14th)

kim_edited_edited_edited.jpg
February 2024 Mini-Conference
Topic: A Tribute to the Memory of Kim Flottum
Speakers: Dr. James Tew and Julia Common
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Tuesday  February 20th, 2024, 7PM Mountain Standard Time (2 AM UTC Wednesday Feb. 21th)

IMG_1465_edited.jpg
December 2023 Mini-Conference and AGM
Topic: The Silken Thread and Annual General Meeting
Speakers: Dr Rob Wiedenmann and Etienne Tardif
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Tuesday  December 12th, 7PM Mountain Standard Time (2 AM UTC Wednesday Dec. 13th)

IMG_9094.jpg
July 2023 Mini-Conference
Topic: Detroit Is The Place To Bee!
Speakers: Timothy Jackson and Nicole Lindsey of Detroit Hives
Moderator: Melanie Kirby
Event details

Wednesday  July 19th, 7PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

IMG_1458_edited_edited.jpg
June 2023 Mini-Conference
Topic: Queen Banking and Rearing
Speakers: Ellen Topitzhofer & Eric and Joy McEwen
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Tuesday  June 13th, 7PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

IMG_1406_edited_edited.jpg
May 2023 Mini-Conference
Topic: Enhancing your Beekeeping Club Organization, Cooperation and Activities
Speakers: Michele Colopy & Debbie Seib
Moderator: Dr. Medhat Nasr
Event details

Tuesday  April 18th, 7PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

FE13039D-F9A2-4640-BD44-26E41090444F_edited_edited.jpg
April 2023 Mini-Conference
Topic: Bee Diversity & Cultivating Engaged Keepers
Speakers: Dr. Deborah Delaney & Carolyn Breece
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Tuesday  April 18th, 7PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

Bee_apricot.jpg
March 2023 Mini-Conference
Topic: European Black Bee Conservation​
Speakers: Roderick Wheatley & John Thorp
Moderator: Melanie Kirby
Event details

Saturday  March 11th, 10 AM (Mountain Standard Time), 5 PM UTC

P7260533.JPG
February 2023 Mini-Conference
Topic: Talking with Pheromones
Speakers: Dr. Jon Zawislak
Moderator: Dr. Dewey Caron
Event details

Wednesday February 15th , 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

P4160122.JPG
October 2022 Mini-Conference
Topic: Queen Issues & Brood Factories
Speakers: Dr David Tarpy & Michael Palmer
Moderator: Melanie Kirby/Etienne Tardif 
Event details

Wednesday October 19th , 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

Screen Shot 2022-08-24 at 1.08.32 PM.png
September 2022 Mini-Conference
Topic: Nosema and Seaweed
Speakers: Dr Martin Porrini & Dara Scott
Moderator: Melanie Kirby/Etienne Tardif 
Event details

Tuesday August 2nd, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

241426456_10166107086760553_8586161228000333885_n.jpeg
August 2022 Mini-Conference
Topic: All About Varroa
Speakers: Dr Kelly Kulhanek & Dr Nuria Morfin
Moderator: Melanie Kirby 
Event details

Tuesday August 2nd, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

P6230209_edited.jpg
July 2022 Mini-Conference
Topic: Queens and Drones
Speakers: Dr Juliana Rangel & Garrett Slater
Moderator: Melanie Kirby 
Event details

Monday, July 18th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

Chalkbrood 2.jpg
June 2022 Mini-Conference
Topic: Honey Bee Pathogens (Viruses & Chalkbrood) 
Speakers: Dr Marley Iredale & Dr Liz Walsh
Moderator: Melanie Kirby
Event details

Tuesday, June 14th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

P7100457.JPG
May 2022 Mini-Conference
Topic: Honey as a Functional Food for Bees & Honey Origins Citizen Science Project 
Speakers: Dr May Berenbaum & Etienne Tardif 
Moderator: Melanie Kirby
Event details

Wednesday, May 25th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

P7100457.JPG
April 2022 Mini-Conference
Urban Beekeeping Prospects and Challenges - North and South of the Border
Speakers: Dr Dewey Caron & Julia Common
Moderator: Etienne Tardif
Event details

Tuesday, April  19th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

101808004_3194414490618894_8272620741724209152_n.jpeg
March 2022 Mini-Conference
Sustainable Apiaries
Speakers: Ian Steppler & Kamon Reynolds
Moderator: Etienne Tardif
Event details

Tuesday, March 8th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

P8030316.JPG
February 2022 Mini-Conference
Honeybee Nutrition Basics & Nutrition and feeding management
Speakers: Dr Dale Hill
Moderator: Melanie Kirby
Event details

Wednesday, February 16th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

P8120024.JPG
January 2022 Mini-Conference
Communicating with Bees  - New Insights into Bee and Colony Behaviors
Speakers: Rich Morris of Broodminder and Jerry Bromenshenk of the University of Montana and Bee Health Guru.
Moderator: Randy Oliver of Scientific Beekeeping
Event details

Wednesday, January 19th, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

Bee on Flower
December 2021 Mini-Conference and WAS Annual Membership Meeting
The Saskatraz Queen Bee and Hybrid Projects – The Search for Better Queens
Albert J. Robertson, Meadow Ridge Enterprises LTD.
Event details

Wednesday, December 15, 7 PM (Mountain Standard Time), 1 AM UTC

Beekeepers
November Mini-Conference - American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) and
American Honey Producers Association (AHPA)
Event details

Thursday, November 11, 7 PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

drone cells and varroa 1.jpg
September Mini-Conference - Oxalic Acid and Varroa Mites from the Experts
Event details

Wednesday, September 15, 7 PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

Beekeeper with Honeycomb
August Mini-Conference - Honey Bee Health
Event details

Wednesday, August 25, 7 PM (Mountain Daylight Time), 1 AM UTC

Coffee and Magazines
July Mini-Conference - Beekeeper Education and Communication
Event details

Wednesday, July 21, 7 PM (Mountain Daylight Time)

Honey Jars
June Mini-Conference - Honey Varietals and Marketing 
Event details

Wednesday, June 16, 7 PM (MDT)

Honeycomb
May Mini-Conference - History of Beekeeping in the US and Sociology
of Sustainable Beekeeping
Event details

Wednesday, May 19, 7 PM (MDT)

Beekeeper with Honeycomb
April Mini-Conference - Veterans, Soldiers and Bees RECORDING
Event details

Wednesday, April 28, 7 PM (MDT)

Bees at Work
March Mini-Conference - Alternatives for Varroa Control and
Determinants of European Foul Brood RECORDINGS
Event details

Wednesday, March 24, 7 PM (MST)

pexels-plato-terentev-5808486.jpg
February Mini-Conference - Zooming Down to the Bee Gut Microbiome
RECORDINGS
Event details

Held Wednesday, February 24, 2021

lavender-1537694_1920.jpg
January Mini-Conference - Queens and Drones - RECORDINGS
Event details

Held January 20, 2021

bees-2368228_1920.jpg
December 2020 Mini-Conference - Heating Beehives - RECORDINGS
Event details

Held December 5, 2020

WAS MONTHLY MINI CONFERENCES

About WAS

The Western Apicultural Society (WAS) is a non-profit, educational, beekeeping organization founded in 1978 for the benefit and enjoyment of all beekeepers in western North America. Membership is encouraged from anywhere in the world. However, the organization is specifically designed to meet the educational needs of beekeepers from the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming as well as the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and the Yukon.

WAS Mini Conferences

Stay Connected with WAS

Have a question or want to stay connected with WAS? reach out through our contact form.

© 2020 Western Apicultural Society of North America
Site by Shea Gerard

bottom of page