TRAINING

RBKA Beekeeping For Beginners

 

 An Introduction to Beekeeping

For anyone who thinks they might interested in keeping bees

 Details of the Course for 2025 are given below

This extremely successful and popular course is based around the BBKA Course in a Case and has been further developed over the last few years to keep it up to date and  incorporate the latest developments in beekeeping. It includes both practical and outdoor work. 

The location is Oswaldkirk Village Hall from 7 to 9pm  [YO62 5XT]

The dates are Wednesday 5th, 12th, 19th, 26 March and 2nd April. The final session is Thursday 3rd April 2025.

Dates for an outdoor, practical session in an apiary with REAL bees will be arranged at the last session on April 3rd.

The Cost of the course is £90.00 per person, which includes course material, refreshments and a year’s membership of the British, Yorkshire and Ryedale Beekeepers Associations [BBKA, YBKA and RBKA].  As a member of these associations you may attend indoor and outdoor meetings of RBKA, receive mentoring advice and support if you need it, receive the BBKA magazine and hive insurance and access to YBKA events and training programmes. Further details of these organisations can be found on their websites [ BBKA and YBKA ].

The course tutor is Dr Rhona Sutherland, with support with from other members of the RBKA.

Places are limited to 15 participants. Further details and application forms can be obtained by email from Rhona – training@ryedalebees.co.uk 

The  Course  

Session 1     Introduction to Bees   Origin and  variety of Honeybees and other bees – The Colony – Anatomy and life cycle

Session 2    The Hive and Beekeeping equipment   History of Beekeeping – Structure of modern hives – Beekeeping Equipment

Session 3    The Beekeeping Year   Changes in the Colony through the year – Colony management and record keeping – Swarming and its control

Session 4    Pests and diseases  Healthy Bees . Possible Pests – Brood diseases – Chalk brood, Foul Broods – Adult bee

diseases – Nosema, Acarine and Varroa – Possible future pests – Small hive beetle and Asiatic Hornet

Session 5/6    Hive products and practical sessions   Sources of Pollen and Nectar – Honey Extraction – Microscopic observation of bees and  Practicals   Making up frames – Lighting smokers – Tasting honey – Next Steps – Organising Apiary sessions.  Discussing sources of equipment, help and information

Bee Life Cycle

This is a National Geographic life-cycle video.  It’s well worth watching – come to the Course and find out more!.

Beginners’ Course 2024

The 2024 Course has now been successfully concluded – ending with a practical session and samples of the RBKA Chair’s interestingly flavoured mead. Thanks to all participants and we hope your fascination with bees and beekeeping continues. We look forward to seeing you at future RBKA meetings.

The Australian Flow Hive

A video about the Flow Hive for those on the 2022 Course, and anyone else who is interested!

The Aussie Flow Hive!

There is also more information [including costs] on their commercial site. Inclusion of this link does not constitute a recommendation for their products!

Bee Farmers’ AGM Video

An interesting video from the Bee farmers’ AGM is available on YouTube if you follow this link.

BBKA Basic Assessment and other Training Options 

BBKA offers members a series of 8 Practical assessments and 7 Modules examinations to help raise the standard of Beekeeping, see the BBKA website .
 The exams start with the Bee Basic Assessment which Beekeepers are encouraged to take after they have been keeping Bees for at least 12 months, and for which a Pass is required before any of the other examinations can be taken.
If you are interested in taking on the challenge of the Bee Basic please contact Simon Lathlean in order to organise the assessment in collaboration with YBKA and BBKA.

There is also information on other courses and qualifications that are open to members.

Bee Basic Results-2019

Congratulations to Rick Colman, Kay Stevens and Simon Lathlean on gaining their Bee Basic beekeeping qualifications from BBKA.

Especially well done to Rick and Kay, who who passed with a Credit!

Beekeeping for Beginners 2019

The 2019 Beekeeping for Beginners Course has now finished.

The last session involved practical work making up brood and super frames as well as trying to set the Village Hall alight with smokers.

Many thanks to the participants for their commitment and enthusiasm. We hope to see you all at our future meetings!

Beekeeping for Beginners  2018

Martin just loves beekeeping…

The apiary visits by those on the course in 2018 have now been completed and some fine photos of one of these sessions are available courtesy of Polly Baldwin who attended this year’s course and is also a professional photographer! Follow the link to see her pictures…Practical and Open Hive sessions – RBKA Training Course 2018

Some of Polly’s Pictures from one of the hive sessions, after the course…