About

This long established course is suitable for those who wish to discover what is involved in keeping bees. It is also suitable for those who have already started keeping bees, but have little experience. This course is based on the knowledge gained from over 60 years beekeeping experience, not just repeating what is in books. Subjects covered include: How and where to learn about honey bees, obtaining bees and equipment, honey bees and insects they are often confused with, where to site hives, how bees live naturally and how we manage them, protective clothing, what bees collect - nectar, pollen, propolis, water, basic colony management, how bees process honey and pollen, caring for your bees, what happens in a beehive and where, why and how bees swarm, the occupants of the hive - queen, drones and workers, dealing with the honey crop, how to start beekeeping, the beekeeping year - what to do and when, bee hive types - how to choose and why, supplementary feeding, essential and useful equipment, the colony in winter.