2025 Western PA Beekeeping Seminar

The Western PA Beekeeping Seminar is back for 2025!!

We are once again excited to offer a wide range of informative speakers and vendors for all of your beekeeping needs. This is one of the largest beekeeping seminars in the state that you do not want to miss!

Our upcoming seminar date is Friday, February 7th and 8th, 2025 and will be held at the Gateway Senior High School in Monroeville located at 3000 Gateway Campus Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146

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Online registration for the event will open on Friday, September 20th at 8 AM! Early bird pricing is $65 per person, so make sure you purchase your tickets now as the ticket price will increase as we get closer to the event. Ticket pricing will increase to $75 after December 1st, and $85 for those purchasing tickets the day of the event. Anyone registering after February 1st will not be guaranteed lunch.

Click here to purchase your tickets starting 9/20! 

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The initial gathering starts on Friday night with a speaker sharing on a topic of interest from 7-8:30 PM.  There will be no Friday registration so you don't need to be registered to attend the Friday session.

On Saturday registration begins at 7:15 AM with coffee and donuts and the morning session will begin at 8:15. At this time, we are happy to announce the following confirmed speakers for our 2025 event: Dr. Larry Conner, Dr. Lawrence Zawislak, Fred Dunn, Dr. Robyn Underwood, and more! 

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We will have several breaks where attendees can shop the many bee equipment vendors who will be in attendance. The 2024 vendor list for the seminar is a work in progress and will be updated as we get vendors added.

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After lunch until 4:30 there will be three breakout sessions which will offer a variety of topics.

Volunteers: In order to make this event happen, we need volunteers to help the day of operations. Volunteers will receive a free t-shirt for your efforts. If you'd like to volunteer, please email Bill Kopar at wkopar@gmail.com

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Honey Donation: We encourage all beekeepers to bring a one pound jar or less of honey for donation to the Rosedale food bank located in Verona. Those that donate honey will be given a free raffle ticket.

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T-shirts: Pre-orders are open now on the Eventbrite site for this years seminar shirt. You can see a preview of the shirt on when you visit the ticketing site. A limited number of event T-shirts will be available at the seminar for sale. We do recommend that you pre-order a shirt in advance as the in person shirts will be limited.

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​Hotel information: We have secured a block of hotel rooms near Gateway Highschool at the Springhill Suites for anyone that would like to reserve a room. The room rate is $113.00 a night. Please click on the link below below to reserve your room. Last day to book is Monday, January 15th, 2025

Click here to book your group rate for the Spring Hill Suites

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For those that would like to stay at the Hampton Inn, please click the link below. Room rate is $119 a night.

Hampton Inn room link

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Event schedule:

Friday February 7th, 2025

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. "Buzz In"

Dr. Robyn Underwood hosts an interactive beekeeping trivia game with our guest speakers, and invites audience participation. Are you smarter than a PhD?

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Morning session – 8:00-11:45 a.m. will be in the auditorium.

7:00 a.m. – Registration begins – coffee and donuts in vendor area of Auxiliary Gym

8:00 a.m. – Welcome – Joe Zgurzynski (WPA Beekeeping Seminar Chair), Hannah Durkin (MC, 2018 PA Honey Queen) (15 Minutes)

8:15 a.m. – Dr. Jon Zawislak– Honey Bee Pheromones (60 Minutes)

9:15 a.m. – BREAK (20 Minutes)

9:35 a.m. – Karen Roccasecca – PA State Apiarist - Beekeeping in PA (20 minutes)

9:55 a.m. – Dr. Lawrence Connor – What EVERY Beekeepers Need to Know about Bee

Genetics and Bee Breeding (60 minutes)

10:55 a.m. – BREAK (20 Minutes)

11:15 a.m. – Dr. Robyn Underwood – Penn State Extension Update (20 minutes)

11:35 a.m. – Remarks by 2025 PA Honey Queen and PSBA Representative (10 minutes)

11:45 p.m. – LUNCH BREAK – VENDORS OPEN

Breakout Session 1 (1:15 – 2:05 p.m.)

*More Than Honey: Other Products of the Hive – Dr. Jon Zawislak

*Welcome to the Drone Zone: You About to Enter Another Dimension to Beekeeping – Kate

Anton

*Honeybee Anatomy Witnessed Through Photos and Experiences – Fred Dunn

Breakout Session II (2:25 – 3:15 p.m.)

*Spotted Lanternfly Honeydew Honey – Dr. Robyn Underwood

*Why Increase Colonies are Essential to a Successful Beekeeping Operation - Dr. Lawrence

Connor

*Go With The Flow: Nectar Flows, Bloom Dates, and How They Help You – Dr. David Peck

Breakout session III (3:35 – 4:25 p.m.)

Round Table Discussion – moderated by Joe Zgurzynski and Hannah Durkin

Robyn Underwood, Jon Zawislak, David Peck, Lawrence Connor

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