one-day course beekeeping: varroa control & feeding

venue: Pen y Bonc, Gwynedd

This course is aimed at new beekeepers interested in learning more or reviewing the specific topics of feeding bees and varroa control. 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.

There are many different reasons for colony losses but two very common ones are:

• starvation of colonies
• varroa and associated viruses

A beekeeper has a large amount of control over both of these factors. The aim of the day is to provide participants with more knowledge of the above topics and in so doing greatly enhance your chances of keeping healthy bees. The morning session will cover feeding bees. We shall discuss:

• how, why and when bees starve, and consequently how and when to feed
• assessing your colonies' needs
• getting it right in the autumn – getting the bees ready for winter
• 'isolation’ starvation
• making up bee syrup (practical session), its consistency and different application methods
• emergency feeding
  

The afternoon session will cover varroa and its control, including some varroa biology, open mesh floors, and available treatments for varroa and how to use them as successfully as possible.

The group size will be kept small to allow participants maximum attention to detail and participation. Washing-up type gloves might be useful.

more on beekeeping