If you are into bees and looking to start your own hive it makes sense to invest in some expert advice before you begin.
Colin Barber has worked with bees for fifty years, (yes, half a century) and is an acknowledged authority on beekeeping and bee diseases. It's no surprise that he's often consulted by other beekeepers.An Introduction to Beekeeping - (first Saturday of every month starting May 1st 2011)
This one day course covers the theoretical and practical aspects of beekeeping. Topics include...
- The life cycle of the hive - the bee calender
- The lives of queens, workers and drones. How to identify them
- The inside of a hive - inspecting the colony
- Hive management and bee feeding
- Swarm control and prevention
- Bee diseases. How to spot them and what to do
- Pollination, nectar, wax, royal jelly and honey
- Where to buy and keep bees (not everywhere is suitable)
- Equipment - frames, hives, suits, gloves and smokers
An Introduction to Beekeeping (practical 2 hour sessions from May to September inclusive)
These hands-on sessions run from 2.30pm to 4.30pm every Saturday except the first Saturday in each month.
They follow each stage in the life cycle of the hives. The agenda is flexible, depending on what is happening in the colony at the time.
The total course fee is £65.00 per person. This includes the one day course and as many Saturday afternoon sessions as you are able to attend.