North Dakota is among the leading honey producing states.

The Department of Agriculture annually licenses all beekeepers, registers beeyard sites and inspects colonies for diseases and parasites. License applications are due annually on March 1.

A major focus of the Apiary Division is the inspection of beehives for disease and parasites to facilitate migrating bee movement. Major bee diseases Amerian foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB), bacterial diseases that destroy larva and immature bees; sacbrood, a viral infection attacking young bees, and chalkbrood, a fungal disease affecting young bees. Inspectors routinely look for Varroa mites, an external parasite.

For more information please contact Judy Carlson at (701)328-4997 or by e-mail jcarlson@nd.gov or Elaine Sayler at (701)328-2391 or by e-mail esayler@nd.gov.