Description

Are you new to beekeeping? Please join us for a series of 7 monthly classes that will cover your first year of beekeeping. We will begin with the fundamentals of hive inspection and learn to identify the key components of a healthy hive:

• Productive, healthy queen
• Healthy bees in all stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, adults)
• Ample food resources (pollen and nectar)

We will follow colonies through the season and learn to:

• Read the signs of a growing colony to prevent swarms and anticipate the honey flow
• Check for bacterial, viral, and fungal disease
• Measure Varroa mite levels and make a mite management plan
• Prepare colonies to successfully survive the winter

Each class will begin with instruction and discussion in the classroom, followed by hands-on training in the apiary.

The Intro to Beekeeping Series is ideal for people who have taken the Beekeeping in Northern Climates Year 1 course and want hands-on experience before acquiring their own bees and for new beekeepers who want to learn about colony management throughout the beekeeping season.

There are two class sections:

• One Thursday per month from 3:30-5:00pm: April 9, May 7, June 11, July 9, August 6, September 10, October 8
• One Saturday per month from 9:30-11:00am: April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10

Class requirements:

• Have taken Beekeeping in Northern Climates Year 1 (or another basic beekeeping class)
• Wear your own protective equipment (veil or bee jacket) Participants must be 18 years or older to enter the apiary
• Willingness to learn gloveless beekeeping

Gloveless Beekeeping
One of the core tenets of the Bee Squad’s beekeeping philosophy is to enter colonies without wearing gloves. This allows the beekeeper to have the dexterity and sensory feedback to handle frames and bee boxes in a way that minimizes harm and disruption to the bees. For the safety of all students and instructors, we require that all participants do not wear gloves in our teaching apiaries. We believe that the ability to manage a hive of honey bees calmly and confidently under a wide range of conditions is one of the most important skills gained from our program.

Please feel free to contact us with questions prior to registration or attending class! For more information about our Mentoring Apiary classes, please visit our website (z.umn.edu/mentoringapiary) To get information on classes and updates from hive inspections, please follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/MentoringApiary)

COURSE FEE
$175

COURSE CONTACT
Jessica Helgen
612.624.8989
ma-bees@umn.edu

COURSE LOCATION
University of Minnesota Bee Lab*
1634 Gortner Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55113

REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE
ext-reg@umn.edu

GUEST ACCOUNT LOGIN / PASSWORD HELP
612.301.4357
help@umn.edu

*There is no public parking at the Bee Lab. Please use paid parking at a metered spot on Folwell Avenue or Gortner Avenue, or in the Gortner Avenue parking ramp.