TRAINING & EDUCATION
Most courses are held in spring, in time to be prepared for the season ahead.
The exception to this is a Bee Awareness evening that is held in October.
We also hold members’ apiary training sessions throughout spring and summer and offer a bee buddy service for members.
Please contact training@hbcsa.uk if you have any questions or are interested in attending a course.
For Beginners
Bee Awareness Evening
Next Session - October 16th 2024
£5 – Sign up here:
The Bee Awareness session is held in the autumn and is aimed at people who are interested in knowing more about bees and the work of the beekeeper as well as people who are thinking about taking up beekeeping.
Enquire about this courseBeekeeping Beginners Course
2.5 hour practical session on March 14
Next Course - March 2025
£99 – Sign up here:
This course is run in March each year in readiness for people who wish start beekeeping or just want to find out more about keeping bees. As the course is run by local, experienced beekeepers it provides a great introduction to beekeeping and allows you to meet those who will help support you as you get going.
The course comprises of 4 evening classes, a Saturday practical day putting together frames and boxes and a hands-on apiary session.
- Natural History: Closer look at bees, swarming, foraging & domestication
- Hives & Equipment: Hive types, clothing & tools.
- Beekeepers Year: Inspections, feeding, treating bees, extracting honey
- Getting Started: Getting bees, apiary options, hive positioning and safety
- Practical: Assembling frames and supers.
- Apiary session in May when it is warmer and drier (and the bees are less grumpy)
The course includes the excellent BBKA book: Guide to Beekeeping
For beekeepers with a MINIMUM of 1-2 years experience
New Season Preparation Course
Held in February, the New Season Preparation Course, is for beekeepers who have started in the past couple of years and are looking ahead to a full year of beekeeping. Building on what you learnt in the beginners course and your practical experiences this course focuses on the challenges you will face in your first full year.
The course has three evening sessions:
- Setting up for Success – planning for the year ahead and first inspections.
- Beekeeping Challenges – diseases and swarm control
- End of Season – extracting honey, uniting colonies and winter preparation
Swarm Collecting Course
This course, normally held in March/April, is aimed at beekeepers collecting their own swarms when preventative measures may have failed and for those wishing to become involved in going out to collect swarms; a fascinating and rewarding process. The course includes describing the swarm collection process, dos and don’ts, different options and their benefits as well as swarm collecting equipment.
Enquire about this courseBBKA Basic Assessment Preparation Course
This course, normally held in May/June, is suitable for beekeepers who have managed at least one colony for a minimum of 12 months regardless of whether they attended previous courses, are self-taught, or a combination of the two. It provides a check for the beekeeper as to how well they are doing, and areas that might need some ‘brushing up’. The course provides a guide to those areas which will be examined during the BBKA Basic Assessment process although there is no obligation to take the assessment.
Enquire about this coursemember services
Apiary Training
During the time of year when regular hive inspections are made, we offer apiary training at various Association hive sites. Timings and dates vary as a result of the weather. Depending on the apiary site, these training sessions are open to members who have their hives on the respective sites or are open to all members.
Details about the apiary training programme are communicated to members throughout spring & summer.
Bee buddies
You have completed the beginners’ course and have had the first 'hands on' experience during the practical part of the course. You have sorted your location for your first bee hive, you have your hive including bees and the adventure begins. Whilst we encourage beekeepers to use knowledge they gained through the courses, it is very helpful to know that there is someone 'at the end of the phone if you have a problem'. Bee buddies are experienced beekeepers that are available to be contacted if you face a problem with a hive, need advice or if you just want reassurance and discuss aspects of your beekeeping.
Details about joining the bee buddy programme are given to new members at the time of joining HBCSA.
If you are interested in any of the courses, training or bee buddy programme or have any other training related questions please email training@hbcsa.uk
