The Preliminary Beekeeping Course 2024

The course for anyone thinking about beginning Bee Keeping.

Delivered by Derry and District Beekeeping Association. Held in Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, 37 Great James St, Derry, 

commencing Tuesday 13 February 2024.

Overview:

A practical and informative course providing the necessary knowledge and skills to get established in beekeeping.

This Preliminary Beekeeping Course is an introductory course. It covers the basics of beekeeping, setting up an apiary, acquiring bees, hive management, swarm control, disease control and honey production.

The course runs for 8 sessions, one per week, commencing 13 February 2024. The course is accredited by the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association, FIBKA.

This course will be run by experienced beekeepers. The course fee is £40 and is classroom based .

Our Association and FIBKA membership fee which provides public liability insurance is not included in this fee. DDBKA & FIBKA membership and insurance are mandatory if you wish to proceed to the practical stages of working with bees in our apiary.

The contents of the course include:

• Natural history of the honeybee and colony structure.

•Manipulation of a colony of honeybees.

• Hives and frames.

• Siting colonies in an apiary.

• The beekeeping calendar.

• Colony diseases, pests and poisoning.

• Foraging.

• Harvesting honey from the colony.

On starting the course, students will be advised on the suitability of any purchases so please refrain from getting clothing, equipment or even bees until then.

If you would like further info, please contact the course tutors at: info@derryanddistrictbeekeepers.com or send and application form from this website here.