Description

Join instructors from the Bee Squad in our teaching apiary on the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus for in-person workshops that will take you from spring to fall. Each workshop will focus on a seasonal management skill, with time for participants to try inspection techniques and ask questions about their own colonies. Participants should wear their own protective equipment (bee veil, jacket, or suit) and come into the apiary with a basic understanding of honey bee biology and hive structure. If you have recently taken the Beekeeping in Northern Climates course, this is a great opportunity to receive guidance through your first beekeeping season or to try hive management before purchasing your own bees!

Course fees

Cost is $30 per workshop unless otherwise noted. Pre-register online by 8:00AM on the morning of class. Refunds will be issued for cancellation requests received up to one week before each class is held.

Class location, logistics, and schedule

All Mentoring Apiary classes will be held at our Teaching Apiary on the UMN St. Paul campus from 2:00-3:30PM on Sunday afternoons.

Parking is available in the parking lot of the UMN Turf Management building (2096 Roselawn Ave W, St Paul, MN 55113) and along Roselawn Avenue. Bee Squad instructors will meet the class in the Turf Management parking lot for a brief discussion before walking a short distance to the apiary. The walk to the apiary covers uneven ground - please contact us (ma-bees@umn.edu) with any questions or concerns about mobility and we will make every effort to make accommodations.

For workshop descriptions, click to expand sections on the right.

Follow these links for registration information for Beekeeping Basics for Beginners on May 31st and Queen Rearing Mentor Workshop on June 27th.

Mentoring Apiary Guidelines

• Participants must be 18 years or older.
• Participants will bring their own bee veil OR bee jacket OR bee suit to wear in the apiary
• Participants are willing to work without gloves in the apiary
• We recommend that participants have taken the "Beekeeping in Northern Climates" course OR another basic beekeeping course OR have kept bees for at least one year
• We recommended participants also bring a notebook to get in the habit of record keeping

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. However, we cannot guarantee that participants will not be stung during our classes. If you experience adverse reactions to bee stings, please consult with your doctor before attending a workshop. Feel free to contact us (ma-bees@umn.edu) with questions prior to attending class!

Course contact

Isabell Dyrbye-Wright
ma-bees@umn.edu
 

Registration help

Extension Learning Technologies (ELT)
ext-reg@umn.edu

To register by phone

Paying online using our registration portal is secure, available 24 hours a day, and provides immediate enrollment. However, if you wish to register by phone, Extension registration professionals are here to help. Please contact us using one of the following methods, being sure to include your name, phone number, and the course you wish to register for. After receiving a request for phone registration, we will be in touch within three business days. Note that simply contacting us does not guarantee your spot. Registration is confirmed only after we've processed your payment.

• Request registration by phone: z.umn.edu/registrationhelp (preferred)
• or call our voicemail line to leave a message at (612) 626-5174