1. ELECTIONS are coming!

MCBA runs on volunteers, key among them are the members of the Board of Directors. Terms of service and position descriptions are on the website, as well as the form to nominate yourself (or talk someone into nominating themself!). Nominations are now open. Consider serving the Club as a member of the Board of Directors. The monthly meetings are on Zoom, so no travel required.

2. Beekeeping 101 CLASS – Enroll NOW

Enrollment is NOW OPEN.

Sat & Sunday November 7 & 8
14 hours of class instruction spread over two weekend days. Lifetime members get a discount!
Full details are on the MCBA website. Scroll down our homepage to “Important Announcements”

3. Fireside Chat - Season Finale Oct 6

Tuesday, October 6th, 2026 at 7:00 pm

Fireside Chat is a monthly Zoom meeting for new and newish beekeepers to ask questions of experienced beekeepers from our region. What to expect? What needs to happen in the coming weeks? Join hosts Rick Wallace and Ryan Eicher on Zoom for this relaxed hour of bee-talk.

Link at: https://montgomerycountybeekeepers.com/fireside_chat/

4. Hands On Sessions in the Club Apiary Oct 3, 17, 31

Saturdays - October 3, 17, and 31st

Join fellow beeks for a variety of sampling, feeding, inspection, and winter prep tasks. It's always fun to work bees in a group. Sign up is on the Club website. Click the ‘Learn’ tab > For Bee People > Hands on in the Apiary

5. MCBA October 14 Meeting

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 (in person only)

Faith United Methodist Church, 6810 Montrose Road, Rockville MD

6:30 pm - Socializing
7:00 pm - Club announcements and "What's Up with The Bees?"
7:30 pm - Marc Roux: Heredity in Bees and the Need for Selected Drones

Marc Roux

Marc Roux is a retired biology and geology French teacher who has taught mostly outside of his country (Ottawa in Canada, Montevideo in Uruguay, and Bethesda MD). A passionate naturalist since childhood and mostly oriented toward Vertebrates, he discovered the world of bees while preparing for his zoology oral exam during his third year of university. He kept his promise of becoming a beekeeper through MCBA’s introductory program in 2022, nearly 40 years after leaving university. He manages the RochamBees program for groups of students in grades 5 through 12 at Rochambeau, the French International School. The curriculum covers subjects from Basic Biology of bees and beekeeping to Heredity in Honey Bees (genetics and epigenetics). Marc has learned a great deal at the Club's Brookside apiary, thanks to the people he met there, and since last year he has been a mentor. Marc is now focused on breeding drones to fix desirable traits in local bee populations. The presentation will focus on the benefits of rearing local drones.

6. Annual Picnic Potluck Oct 17

Saturday, October 17th, 11am to 2pm
Brookside Nature Center Picnic Pavilion

Please volunteer to help organize!
Email Jim Fraser at marylandhoneycompany2011@gmail.com

At the end of each beekeeping season, MCBA members and their family and guests come together for a picnic. MCBA will provide the main courses, eating utensils, and soft drinks. Members are asked to bring salads, sides, or desserts to share with 8 to 10 people. Bring a veil, if you plan on visiting the bee yard (which we hope you will do). There are tables with benches at the pavilion. RSVP at https://montgomerycountybeekeepers.com/2026-october-17-annual-potluck-picnic/

7. Update - Bee Impact Fund

We have another match! Thanks to Phil Frank, donations of $50 or more will be boosted by another $50. So a $50 donation becomes $100, and $200 becomes $250! Thanks to the 58 donors who have already contributed to the 2026 Bee Impact Fund. Claudia Roller is a researcher in the Apiculture Laboratory at North Carolina State University, where she works with Dr. David Tarpy. Claudia has developed a method of rescuing laying worker colonies. Her research seeks to confirm that method and identify the underlying biology, so that beekeepers will have success in recovering laying worker colonies.

Donation link: https://montgomerycountybeekeepers.com/2026-bee-impact-fund/

Claudia Roller, 2026 Bee Impact Fund Awardee

8. Keeping in Touch

a. MCBA website - updated information is constantly posted, plus there are links to Members-only resources and public resources. https://montgomerycountybeekeepers.com/

b. The Forum - our online "news" source. Sign up to get notices from other beekeepers, add your own ideas, join the swarm catcher contact list, or be an outreach volunteer at https://montgomerycountybeekeepers.com/forum-2/

c. The REAL Beekeepers of Montgomery County, a private (no weird ads) Facebook group for the serious, the ridiculous, and everything else about beekeeping. We post pictures, Club apiary reports, research, cartoons, and member news. All beekeeping all the time. Sign up and join us at

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340951959905751

9. Annual Meeting - Wednesday, November 11th

Annual Meeting, Election Results, Volunteer Recognition, Honey Tasting Contest, and Equipment Swap

It's all happening on November 11th. Enjoy a programming and financial recap of the past year. Greet the new Board and thank outgoing members. Bring 8 oz. of your best honey in a squeeze bottle for the tasting contest - maybe get your name on the perpetual trophy. Applaud the members who have reached 100 hours of volunteering for the Club. And check your beekeeping equipment for items in good condition that you may no longer use (or have never used). Donate them for the equipment swap. Donations benefit the Bee Impact Fund.

10. Maryland State Beekeepers Association Fall Meeting

Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Montgomery Community College in Germantown MD

8:30 am to 3:00 pm

Speakers include

• Zac Lamas of the Lamas Lab at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus,
• Our own Jason Wolf, Maryland Youth Beekeepers (winner of Best Tasting Honey 2024 AND 2025, Montgomery County Beekeepers Association)
• Daniel and Lexi Boback of ThermaHive
• And others!

Details and schedule are at https://www.mdbeekeepers.org/2026-november-14-meeting/

MCBA Leadership

Jim Fraser, President

Rick Wallace, Vice President

Rick Nidel, Treasurer

Paola Domenge, Secretary

Garrett Davis, Director at Large

Eric Eicher, Director at Large

Malin Haugwitz, Director at Large

Bill Lawler, Director at Large

John Mahaffie, Director at Large

Amina Manguera, Director at Large, Community Outreach

Judy Treible, Director at Large

Phil Frank, Webmaster, LIstServ & Swam Alert Monitor