Life Skills and Hobbies

Monday

Life cycle

Equipment

Bee community

Tuesday

Beekeeping year

Hive Records

Plants and Forage

Wednesday

Pests and Diseases

Products of the hive

Thursday

Swarm control

Swarm Collecting

Bee Stings and First Aid

Setting up an apiary and getting started.

Friday

In the Apiary

Opening hives and learning to handle bees

Background reading list

No reading is essential and handouts will be provided. There are many, many books on the market and the tutor will bring several for students to peruse during the course.

Essential equipment for students to bring

While notes are provided, please bring pen and paper.

On the Apiary day bee jackets will be provided, but please dress appropriately:

- long trousers, preferably not jeans (bees don't like them) - but the main requirement is loose - skin tight leggings are not advisable

- sensible footwear that will cover your ankles - wellies, or at least 2 pairs of thick socks to tuck your trousers into

- avoid strong scents/perfumes/aftershave - these can attract or aggravate the bees

Please bring a new pair of Marigold-type gloves.

Fiona Robinson

Wiltshire Bee Centre

About Fiona

Fiona Robinson has kept bees for 20 years both here and in Australia, and professionally for the last 7 years. She has been running the Wiltshire Bee Centre with her husband, Terry Cooke, for the last 5 years and has taught beekeeping at many levels for several years.