Course content includes;

* Beekeeping and the colony

* Types and components of a hive

* The beekeeping year

* Queens, drones and swarms

* Colony health

* Hive equipment and maintenance

Beginners will be required to have a bee suit, marigold gloves and boots or wellingtons to attend the apiary following the classroom session. These are held on Saturday afternoons at the club apiary near Walcott as and when the weather allows. Attendance at two of these sessions is required to complete the course.

Beginners will finish the course with the knowledge and ability to conduct a full hive inspection and be ready to get started with their own hive.

Beginners are then welcome to come along to the apiary sessions for the rest of the summer for further learning and support.

Important: a bee’s natural defense is to sting; this is something that you must consider before beginning beekeeping. You must be able to withstand bee stings, since they cannot be avoided altogether. It is important to let us know if you have experienced an adverse reaction to bee or wasp stings in the past, or if you have not been stung in more than 5 years. Being stung by a bee often results in painful swelling at the sting site, which is generally not dangerous for most people. However, those with an allergy to bee or wasp venom may experience a systemic reaction, meaning it affects the whole body, and can lead to anaphylaxis.

NB: The course does not include membership to the British Beekeepers Association/Horncastle District, which is recommended once you own bees yourself. Membership forms are available during the course or from the secretary.