A New Iconic HBRC Facility
We are creating a new, iconic facility for honey bee education, research, advocacy and outreach. It will be a destination; a place of excellence in design, function and research. All in support of the future of honey bees.

University Of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre
A Leader In Apiculture, Research And Education
Honey bees play a key role in agricultural productivity and ecosystem sustainability by providing pollination services to crops and wild plants. Our mandate is to help honey bees continue this vital work.




Featured Articles
- Staff Spotlight – Serena CaustonSerena Causton, a second-year Environmental Science student at the University of Guelph, worked full-time with us this past summer. Now working part-time through her study semesters, Serena has proven to be a fantastic addition to the HBRC team. In first year, she decided to focus on pollinators for one of her research projects. “That project […]
- Donor Spotlight – Rich Wieske, the MBA, and SEMBAJust south of the border, our friends at the Michigan Beekeepers Association (MBA) and the Southeastern Michigan Beekeepers Association (SEMBA) have been hard at work raising funds in support of the HBRC. Rich Wieske, President of the MBA and Director of SEMBA’s Bee School program, runs the 9-month interactive and educational bee course with 16 […]
- Our Thorah Island VolunteersIn addition to the bee yards in and around Guelph, the HBRC also has hives on Thorah and Georgina Island on Lake Simcoe. The island environment is a perfect place for isolated breeding which is essential to our Buckfast breeding program. The HBRC would not be able to keep and maintain these hives without the […]
- Product Feature – Thorah Island HoneyWe manage bees on Thorah island for the isolated mating of our Buckfast queens. The drone colonies on the islands are very productive as the conditions on the islands are perfect for bees. The land was once farmed but is now grown over with many different nectar plants. Some years we get lots of honey […]
- Research Update Winter 2023Effect of diet amendments on health of honey bees (Apis mellifera) Tests to evaluate the effect of diet amendments on health parameters of honey bees were conducted last Summer and Fall of 2022. We screened several doses of potential beneficial compounds in artificial protein diets provided to caged honey bees as follows: omega 3, 6, […]
- Hive UpdateAs of March 22nd, we have not disturbed our bees yet! They were fed and medicated in the Fall, and we are keeping our fingers crossed as the chilly weather continues. We have concerns, however, as many colonies were weaker than what we hoped for in late fall. We moved all the weaker hives inside. […]

Our Courses at UoG
Featured Course
- Introductory Beekeeping CourseIn 2023, the HBRC will be conducting the Introductory Beekeeping course in-person and also virtually. The content of the courses (listed below) will be the same, but with different delivery methods. REGISTRATION FOR BOTH COURSES WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING ON JANUARY 25th, 2023, @7:00 PM Follow us on social media to receive an announcement about when […]
Meet Us
“The OAC is a leader for advanced agricultural and environmental research and has an inspiring 125-year history of honey bee research.”
Rene Van Acker,
Dean, Ontario Agricultural College, UoG
“We are passionate about bees at the Honey Bee Research Centre. Our life’s work is understanding bee health problems and providing solutions. To ensure honey bee sustainability, we provide many educational opportunities for beekeepers and visitors of all ages. We look forward to enhancing our research and education capacities with a new Honey Bee Research Centre. Please help us help bees by joining our community of supporters.”
Paul Kelly
Research And Apiary Manager, HBRC
“Having a world class facility with the capacity for advanced research and outreach is essential to the apicultural industry in Canada. The Honey Bee Research Centre will now continue to be an even stronger model for Canada and the world of progressive and innovative beekeeping activity. “
Rod Scarlett
Executive Director, Canadian Honey Council
4000
Visitors Annually
326
Hives
28
Tons of Honey Produced Annually
127
Years in Existence
7
Million YouTube Video Views


