Courses

Introduction to Beekeeping Course 2010 / 2011

Enquiries to Pete Barrar, Conwy BKA, Tel: 01492 650764 or email: pete.barrar@virgin.net

See info for new beekeepers may 2007

Session 1. Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping

Tuesday 7th September 2010, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes, Aber.

  1. History of beekeeping
  2. Types of bee
  3. Value of honeybees / relationship with flowers
  4. The bee colony
  5. Bee products
  6. Apiary selection and layout

Session 2. In the Apiary

Saturday 11th September 2010, in two groups, at 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Tal y Cafn apiary in the Conwy Valley.
An introductory hands-on session – the bees, the hives they live in and the art of beekeeping. Protective clothing – suit, veil and gauntlets are provided.

Session 3. The Honeybee colony

Tuesday 12th October 2010, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

  1. Identification of worker, queen and drone.
  2. Marking the queen. Why and how
  3. The colony, what maintains the correct balance in the colony?
  4. Use of smoker, hive tool. Technique of opening and closing hives
  5. Preparing hives for transportation.
  6. Re-siting / transportation of stocks of bee

Session 4. Summer management

Tuesday 9th November 2010, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

  1. Record keeping
  2. Supering – top / bottom. Use of supers or brood boxes, types of foundation and the queen excluder.
  3. Making divisions / uniting stocks
  4. Swarms
    1. Control
    2. Signs of swarming
    3. Action to prevent swarms
    4. Catching transporting and hiving

Session 5. Honey extraction and Bottling

Tuesday 7th December 2010, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

  1. Removing the honey from the hive
    1. Clearing the bees from supers – types of clearer board
    2. Precautions to prevent robbing
    3. Transporting the supers
  2. Uncapping and extracting
    1. Use of uncapping knife (hot, cold or electric) or fork
    2. Extractor – Radial or tangential
    3. Filtering and storage
  3. Bottling
    1. Hygiene
    2. Labeling
    3. Selling?
  4. Cut comb and sections and problems with heather honey

Session 6. Honeybee pests and diseases

Tuesday 11th January 2011, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

  1. Varroa treatment – integrated pest management
  2. Other bee diseases and their treatments.
  3. The future? Exotic Pests!

Session 7. Preparation for winter

Tuesday 8th March 2011, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

  1. Feeding – types of feeder, time of feeding, type of feed
  2. Pest and diseases – treatment (particularly treatment for Varroa)
  3. Condition, weather proofness and security of hives, mouse guards, etc
  4. Storage of equipment
    1. Storage of combs – wet or dry?
    2. Spare hive parts, feeders, etc.
    3. Wax moth
  5. Beekeeping and the Law

Session 8. Hives, frames and equipment

Tuesday 12th April 2011, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

hives, frames and equipment

  1. Types of hive
  2. Frames and spacing
  3. Making frames (practical)
  4. Difference between brood box and super
  5. Use of queen excluder, crown board, clearer board.
  6. Hive tool, smoker
  7. Protective equipment – choice, care and use.
  8. Wiring frames, unwired and drone base foundation

Session 9. In the Apiary, hands-on

Sunday 24th April 2011, 11.00-1:30 pm or 2.00-4.30 pm at Tal y Cafn

  1. Handling the bees
  2. Using hive tool and smoker
  3. Identification of Worker, Drone and Queen
  4. Identification of sealed brood, unsealed brood and eggs
  5. Identification of Queen cells (if there)
  6. Supering
  7. Artificial Swarm
  8. Use of clearer boards

Session 10. Course Review and Revision preparations for WBKA Basic Assessment (optional)

Tuesday 10th May 2011, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes, Aber.

Centre for Alternative Land UseThe course is supported by CALU, the Centre for Alternative Land Use. See: http://www.calu.bangor.ac.uk/.

Comments are closed.