2026 Field day registration is now open
Event Address: 8884 Mercer Pike, Meadville, PA 16335
The NWPBA Field Day is an annual beekeeping event open to all members at no charge. Non-members, wishing to participate or observe in the bee yard, will purchase a 1yr membership for $15. No cost to observe from a distance or tour Ernst facility. The day is filled with education and fellowship in keeping with bylaws purpose.
A stated purpose is also to develop and distribute honey bee queens whose offspring offer mite resistance and tolerance.
§ Field Stations (rotation)
- Drone Congregation Area, with Mark Gingrich of York, Pa. He will fly his drone to demonstrate how to determine where mating flight happen.
- Hive-Dive Inspections, with two Pa Bee Inspectors, Maggie Murphree and Bonnie Hall. They will do live inspections demonstrating what they look for.
- Mite Count Station, with Adam Strickland. Bee samples from the Hive Dive inspections will be processed to determine active mite-loads.
- Formic Treatment Work Station, with Dr. Heather Broccard-Bell of Canada. Heather is a researcher with NOD Apiary Products in Ontario. Preliminary study suggests formic acid treatment may be viable in anticipation of the Tropilaelaps mite reaching the United States.
Date & Time: Field Day is Saturday, June 20, 9:00AM to 2:00PM. For those planning to leave nucs at the site, queens and nuc space will be provided based on this survey. All hopeful attendees are encouraged to submit a survey in order to assist in planning group sizes and provided lunch.
SMOKER PELLETS are available!
Please click the image below if you would like to purchase smoker pellets.
In collaboration with Ernst Conservation Seeds, we are happy to offer a high quality, 100% Bluestem Switchgrass pellet smoker fuel. The pellets create a sweet smelling, thick, white smoke. Each bag contains approximately 6 lbs of pellet fuel. All proceeds benefit the Northwestern Pennsylvania Beekeepers Association.