🐝 What started as a niche class for Central Texas hobbyists has grown into a statewide movement to support and educate a new generation of beekeepers. With backyard hives on the rise and a growing need for pollinators, the AgriLife Extension Beekeeping 101 program is empowering Texans to manage healthy colonies while protecting their investment with science-based practices. The online course is the gateway to the agency’s Texas Master Beekeeper program where novices can continue their beekeeping education with apprentice, advanced, Master and Master Craftsman certifications. The momentum behind this growth reflects a strategic investment made by AgriLife Extension with support from the Texas Beekeepers Association (texasbeekeepers) and Texas Legislature for the 2024 hire of honey bee specialist Garett Slater as the agency’s first statewide entomologist dedicated to apiculture and honey bee education. Slater is based in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (aglifesciences...