Bees and Apiaries

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Insect Prevention and Management (IPPM) program, is deeply committed to protecting and promoting pollinator communities vital to the state’s agricultural and natural landscapes. The IPPM program has become increasingly involved in pollinator related activities:

Responsible for the state’s apiary registration program and completing the APHIS National Honey Bee Survey
Involved with research projects focused on native bees including the native bee pollinators of Oregon specialty crops
Created the Common Bee Pollinators of Oregon Crops guide

Apiary registration

Every person who owns, or is in charge of, five or more colonies of bees located within the state or Oregon, must register their hives with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. If you currently own less than five hives you are not required to register your bees at this time.

Every person who owns, or is in charge of, five or more colonies of bees located within the state or Oregon, must register their hives each year with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. If you currently own less than five hives you are not required to register your bees at this time.

The form needed to register colonies is located at:

Online: Apiary Registration Form
In person by visiting: 635 Capitol Street NE, Salem, OR, 97301

The current cost of apiary registration is $10 with an additional charge of $0.50 per colony for five or more hives. After July 1, the registration fee will increase to $20. The fee per hive remains at $0.50 per colony for five or more hives.

The number of colonies that must be registered is equal to the highest number of full-strength colonies managed within the state at any point during the previous year, prior to the registration deadline of June 1.

The State of Oregon defines a colony as any receptacle or container made or prepared for the use of bees, or box or similar container taken possession of by bees, with the exception of nucleus hives. Nucleus hives do not require registration at this time.

All money collected from apiary registration shall be spent on research at the OSU Bee Lab that is predominantly focused on honeybees. http://honeybeelab.oregonstate.edu

Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in bee hive losses due to multiple factors. The honeybee industry approached the state legislature to adapt new statutes supporting bee research. The change to our apiary registration rule was a collaborative effort between Oregon State University honeybee researchers, the honeybee industry, environmental organizations, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture with the objective to protect bees in Oregon.

This information can be found online:

More info from ODA

Pesticides and pollinators

Bee identification and protection

Bumble Bees of the Western United States Identification Guide
Common Bee Pollinators of Oregon Crops
This guide is designed to help identify the most common groups of bees in Oregon crops. Includes print instructions.
Honey bee swarms and swarm removal
Oregon State Beekeepers Association
How to Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides
Guidelines for preventing bee poisoning
Guide to Nurturing Mason Bees in Your Backyard
Sam Droege’s Handy Bee manual
How to catch, identify, and manage bees guide and resources
The Biology and External Morphology of bees
Synopsis of the Genera of Northwestern America

Bees and Apiaries

Apiary registration

I own bees in Oregon, am I required to register my hives?

I own five or more colonies of bees; how do I register them?

How much will hive registration cost me?

The number of colonies I own fluctuates throughout the year, how do I calculate the number of colonies to register?

How does the state of Oregon define a colony?

How will the funds generated by apiary registration be used?

What is the cause of the recent changes made to apiary registration rules in Oregon?

Where can I find Oregon’s apiary statute and rules?

More info from ODA

Bee identification and protection

Resources