Apiary Registration allows beekeepers to register their apiary and hive location(s) with Madera County. Registration can be done in our office or through the BeeWhere website. The beekeeper may choose to be notified when bee toxic materials will be applied within a one-mile radius of their hives. Utilization of this service can protect the beekeeper from large losses of bees due to pesticide use. Any application of a bee toxic material must first be reported to our office or through the BeeWhere website to check for any bees in the area that may be potentially harmed by the application. The applicator is informed if there are any bees in the area, as well as beekeeper contact information. It is the responsibility of the applicator to contact any nearby beekeeper(s) and discuss mitigation measures to protect the bees.

Colony Strength Assessment provides a third party to appraise the strength of bee colonies. Colony strength is measured in the number of frames per hive in which bees are actively utilizing for the colony. Inspectors will randomly sample the hives based on the total number of hives to get an accurate average of frames per hive. This program charges a fee to the requesting party based on time to complete the inspections. Our fees are currently $71.61 per hour and are subject to change. If interested in requesting colony strength assessment, then complete the Request for Colony Strength Inspection Form below. Submit the completed form including all necessary maps to our office for processing. Inspections are performed on a first come first serve basis. 

View the Request for Colony Strength Inspection Form, PDF

GUIDE TO PREVENTING HIVE THEFT. Local law enforcement, California beekeepers, and farmers need your help to prevent beehive theft. Go to the California State Beekeepers Association's website or view the Bee Attentive: Guide to Preventing Hive Theft, PDF for ways to help.