CASPER – Anyone interested in bees or beekeeping is invited to attend the 2024 Wyoming Bee College, to be held Friday, Sept. 13, through Saturday, Sept. 14. The conference, organized by the University of Wyoming Extension, will take place at the Casper College Student Union, located at 1910 Lisco Drive. 

The Wyoming Bee College is designed for people of all ages and skill levels. It addresses beekeeping skills, bee behavior, specialty products, native bee research and more. There will also be a vendor reception on Friday evening. 

The conference gives beekeepers an opportunity to talk to each other and form new connections. “If you’re a new person, you’ll run into people who’ve been [beekeeping] for decades or even generations,” says Donna Hoffman, UW Extension horticulture educator in Natrona County.

Hoffman and Amy Smith, UW Extension agriculture and natural resources educator based in Goshen County, are co-chairing the conference this year. To connect with more participants from around the state, they’ve chosen to host the conference in Casper rather than Cheyenne, where it was previously held. 

Hoffman and Smith have recruited speakers from across the U.S. and Canada, including some presenters who have spoken at the conference in the past.  The Bee College is “a great way to meet these speakers from outside the state or even country that have the background in a particular topic,” Hoffman says. 

Speakers include Mark Carroll, research entomologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), who will address how to support stressed bees during Saturday’s keynote speech. Friday’s keynote, delivered by senior inspection specialist with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture Kim Dillivan, will cover Wyoming beekeeping regulations. 

Participants can sign up for the beginner, intermediate or advanced tracks, which will each cover different topics and run concurrently. The beginner track is appropriate for those who have a year or less of experience, including interested parties who do not own bees. 

The conference will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 13. Friday’s events will conclude with the vendor reception, which will run from 5-7 p.m. On Saturday, registration will begin at 7 a.m. and presentations will end at 4:30 p.m.  

The cost is $130 to attend Friday’s events and $90 to attend Saturday’s events, or $200 for both days. 

Registration closes Friday, Sept. 6. Lunches, snacks and beverages will be provided during both days of the conference. 

For conference attendees from out of town, a discounted rate is available at the C’mon Inn of Casper, located at 301 East Lathrop Road in Evansville. 

To purchase tickets and view a full schedule of events for each track, visit https://bit.ly/bee-there. Contact Hoffman at dhoffman@natronacounty-wy.gov or (307) 235-9400 with questions.