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NorthEast Oklahoma Beekeeper's Association


HomeBee Buzz 2022

The Big Bee Buzz - March 25th and 26th, 2022

Asbury United Methodist Church, 6767 S. Mingo Rd, Tulsa, OK 74133
Scroll down for detailed information and Speaker Bios.

 

The Big Bee Buzz brings information and special speakers for beekeepers of all levels of experience, from seasoned beekeepers to those just curious about beekeeping. Link to registration below. Per person admission prices include Lunch on Saturday and snacks throughout the conference.


Topics being covered this year include:
  • Propolis Research from the U of MN Bee Lab
  • Honey Bee Communication Part 1: Pheromones
  • Honey Bee Communication Part 2: Waggle Dance
  • 10 Ways to BEE a Hero
  • How to Teach Kids About Bees
  • Regenerative Bee Pasture
  • Bee Viruses
  • Impact of Viruses
  • Bee Antiviral







Prices: 

Standard Member price    $75

Standard Non-Member price   $85

Children 15 and under: Free


Payment is required at time of registration
All Prices increase to $90 after March 12th

Pre-registration has closed. Walk-in / Pay at the door registrations are welcome!

Schedule of Events

Asbury United Methodist Church Tulsa, OK

 

Friday, March 25

6:00 - 6:25 pm

Check-in & Registration

6:25 - 6:30 pm

Welcome and Opening Remarks

6:30 - 7:15 pm

Sarah Red-Laird: Adventures in Dirt and Honey

7:30 - 8:15 pm

Dr. Michelle Flenniken: Bee Viruses

8:30 - 9:15 pm

Jessica Helgen: Propolis Research from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab

9:15 - 9:30 pm

Close the evening

 

Saturday, March 26

8:30 - 9:00 am

Donuts, Check-in, and Registration

9:00 - 9:15 am

Pat Tickle: A Message from the Oklahoma State Beekeepers Association

9:15 - 10:00 am

Dr. Michelle Flennekin: Impact of Viruses at the Colony, Individual Bee, and Cellular Levels

15-minute break & Silent Auction

10:15 - 11:00 am

Dr. Michelle Flennekin: Bee Antiviral Defense

15-minute break & Silent Auction

11:15 - noon

Jessica Helgen: Honey Bee Communication Part 1: Pheromones

Noon - 1:00 pm

Lunch included in ticket price

1:00 - 1:45 pm

Jessica Helgen: Honey Bee Communication Part 2: Waggle Dance

15-minute break & Silent Auction closes at 2 pm

2:00 - 2:45 pm

Sarah Red-Laird: 10 Ways You Can be a BEE Hero

30-minute break & Silent Auction checkout

3:15 - 4:00 pm

Sarah Red-Laird: How to Teach Kids About Bees

15-minute break & Silent Auction checkout

4:15 - 4:45 pm

Q&A Panel with Sarah Red-Laird, Dr. Michelle Flennekin, and Jessica Helgen

4:45 - 5:00 pm

Closing Remarks


 

Speaker Bio Information: 


1. Jessica Helgen

 

Jessica Helgen fell in love with beekeeping on a study abroad trip to southern India. She started working for the University of MN Bee Lab in 2006, then returned to India for a Fulbright fellowship to study Asian honey bees (Apis cerana). Jessica continued working for the Bee Lab and became one the first members of the UMN Bee Squad in 2010. In addition to managing colonies for research and outreach, Jessica is the coordinator and lead instructor for the Bee Squad Mentoring Apiary program, which provides hands-on training to hobby beekeepers. She is most proud of convincing new beekeepers to try glove-less beekeeping!


Jessica will speak on 3 separate topics including:

1. Updates on Propolis Research from the U of MN Bee Lab

2. Honey Bee Communication Part 1: Pheromones

3. Honey Bee Communication Part 2: Waggle Dance

 

 

 2. Sarah Red-Laird

Sarah Red-Laird is the founder and Executive Director of the Bee Girl organization, a grassroots nonprofit centered on bee habit conservation through research, regeneration, & education. She is a graduate of the University of Montana's College of Forestry and Conservation and the Davidson Honors College with a degree in Resource Conservation, focused on community collaboration and environmental policy. Sarah also serves as the “Kids and Bees” program director for the American Beekeeping Federation. To see her commitment to good policy and community collaborations realized, she also has served as president of the Northwest Farmers Union and Western Apicultural Society, and as a board member of the National Farmers Union. When she is not tirelessly working with bees, beekeepers, kids, farmers and ranchers, and policy makers, Sarah loves to read books while drinking coffee, ride her vintage 10-speed, run in the hills, and see new places, things, and people. To see her latest projects updates visit Instagram and Facebook @sarahbeegirl or www.beegirl.org.


Sarah will speak on 3 separate topics including:

1. 10 Ways to BEE a Hero

2. How to Teach Kids About Bees

3. Regenerative Bee Pasture

 

3. Dr. Michelle Flenniken 

Dr. Michelle Flenniken is an Associate Professor in the Plant Sciences Department at Montana State University. She is a virologist investigating honey bee host–pathogen interactions, Co-Director of the Pollinator Health Center at MSU, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Project Apis m..

Michelle received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Iowa, then was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, before obtaining her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Montana State University.

She did postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco prior to becoming a faculty member at MSU. URLs:  http://plantsciences.montana.edu/facultyorstaff/faculty/Flenniken/ , http://www.montana.edu/pollinators/

 

Dr Flenniken will speak on 3 separate topics including:

1. Bee Viruses

2. Impact of Viruses

3. Bee Antiviral