one-day course beekeeping: consolidation

venue: Pen y Bonc, Gwynedd

This course is aimed at new beekeepers interested in learning more or reviewing basic beekeeping skills. Participants may have recently acquired bees or kept them for a year or two and may (or may not) have already been on a beekeeping course. The course aims to provide practical beekeeping skills – to assess your bees and know what you are looking at and looking for with an afternoon session with the bees. If you have recently acquired bees and now think it all seems different from the book or beekeeping course you were on previous to keeping bees and want a bit of a confidence boost then this course is for you.

The morning session will be indoors and cover a range of topics:

• equipment needed (& what isn't)
• what a hive consists of: its various parts and pros and cons of different types available; frame spacing and 'bee space'
• what a colony consists of
• siting of apiaries (hives)
• basic management of bees and control of the parasitic varroa mite
• other pests and diseases
• the beekeeping year: what to do and when
• inspecting a colony through the year
• local & national support for bees and beekeeping
  
  

The afternoon session will be out in the apiary looking at beehives. There is some beekeepers' special protective clothing available but please bring your own kit with you. If you want to bring any of your own kit e.g. smoker, hive parts etc. They can be assessed on the course. The session will show ‘working’ beehives, how to inspect them and what to look out for. The group size will be kept small to allow participants maximum attention to detail and where possible to participate in inspecting colonies.

Please wear suitable clothing. Boots (wellies are best), long-sleeved top, long trousers and washing-up type gloves. Bring your own beekeeping protective clothing with you.

more on beekeeping