Welcome to the
Bastrop County Beekeepers Association

🐝January Beekeeping 101 – Swarm Management - Presented by Dr. Hakkinen

February’s Beekeeping 101 class focuses on preparing your colonies for the spring

buildup. Abram will cover early spring inspections, how to monitor hive health, and spring

feeding strategies, including how weather and Central Texas climate conditions affect

feeding decisions. The session will also introduce early signs of queen problems and

provide an overview of common pests to watch for as colonies become more active. This

class is ideal for new and second-year beekeepers getting ready for a productive spring

season.

 

Guest Speaker - Mustafa Bozkus

Mustafa Bozkus was born and raised in central Turkey, a region rich in beekeeping history and biodiversity. He earned his degree in Animal Science from Akdeniz University and began his career in the cattle industry. However, driven by a passion for sustainability and pollinators, he soon found his true calling in the field of beekeeping. Turkey ranks second globally in hive numbers and third in honey production and is home to an impressive diversity of honey bee subspecies, an environment that sparked Mustafa’s deep interest in apiculture.

Before entering academia, Mustafa worked directly with Turkish beekeepers, gaining valuable hands-on experience. He later moved to the United States to pursue graduate studies, earning his master’s degree from Oregon State University, where he focused on Oxalic Acid vaporization as a method for controlling Varroa destructor mites in honey bee colonies.

In 2024, Mustafa began his Ph.D. at the Honey Bee Lab at Texas A&M University. His current research centers on honey bee nutrition and its role in colony health and productivity. He is also deeply passionate about queen bee production and practical beekeeping methods.

Mustafa’s long-term goal is to return to Turkey and contribute to academic and extension programs that support sustainable beekeeping. He hopes to train a new generation of beekeepers and help strengthen the country’s beekeeping industry through science-based practices and innovation.