Introduction to Beekeeping, six week course
Session 1: The Honey Bee, Thursday 24th June, 7 to 8pm
- Brief history of the origins and domestication of the European honey bee
- Stages of development of bee casts and life cycles
- Introduction to the hive and its parts
Session 2: The Hive, Thursday 1st July, 7 to 8pm
- Introduction to hive tools
- Discuss hive types. Identify hive parts (National)
- Define bee space
- Make a frame (may be held on a different session)
- Bee stings, their symptoms and how to treat them
Session 3: The Bee, Thursday 8th July, 7 to 8pm
- Where and how to site the hive
- The bee’s year
- Nectar, pollen and their sources
Session 4: Inspection of the Hive, Thursday 15th July, 7 to 8pm
- Lighting the smoker
- How to use hive tools
- Identify workers, drones and the Queen
- Colony assessment and identify pollen, honey and stages of brood
Session 5: Bee Health, Thursday 22nd July, 7 to 8pm
- Identify healthy brood
- Introduction to bee diseases
- Varroa
- Apiary hygiene
- Reproduction
- Swarm prevention and control
Session 6: Inspection of the Hive, Thursday 29th July, 7 to 8pm
- As above
The course costs £50 (£30 to garden members, £10 concessions). To book your place, please email your name, telephone contact number and number of places required to rsvp@khwgarden.org.uk or phone Marnie Rose on 07974 353148.