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Whether you are a seasoned beekeeper training@stalbansbees.org

Your first steps towards beekeeping...

If you are interested in taking up beekeeping you can find out more by attending our beekeeping courses. We usually run two courses throughout the year  — our Bee Awareness Session takes place in the autumn and the Beginners Course every spring.

Take a look below to find out more about these courses. There is no requirement to join St Albans & District Beekeepers Association in order to attend these courses.

Startup costs for beekeeping begin at around a few hundred pounds but can very easily be much more. Plenty of merchants offer starter kits which include a hive and some basic equipment and clothing (but remember, cheaper is not always better). Before committing to such expense it is advised that you observe other beekeepers for a year, maybe more. Do your research first or ask an experienced beekeeper’s advice. 

You may also choose to enrol on our Hives for All scheme which allows the newbie to experience and learn the craft of beekeeping without large initial outlay.

Important:  Please do not turn up to our apiaries without first making an appointment. For safety and insurance reasons we only allow non-members on site with prior consent.

We provide displays and exhibitions about beekeeping at a number of events through the year where you are very welcome to talk to us.  Please visit our events page for more details.

 
 

Bee Awareness Session

The Bee Awareness Session is usually held in the Autumn and gives a brief overview of honey bees and beekeeping. It is a taster of what is involved in becoming a beekeeper and a primer for the more comprehensive Beginners Course the following Spring.

There is no charge for this session and attendance is not required in order to attend the Beginners Course.

Beginners Course

The Beginners Course is held in the Spring, generally in March. Spread over four sessions, the course provides an introduction to various aspects of beekeeping and is designed for those who are looking to start keeping bees in the near future. It also gives an insight into the fascinating world of the honey bee for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge.

There will be many opportunities to ask questions and meet other beekeepers, both novice and experienced.

A practical apiary session will be arranged for April (some flexibility may be required in the event of inclement weather)

The course will include a copy of the “BBKA Guide To Beekeeping” written by Ivor Davis and Roger Cullum-Kenyon.

Beginners Course topics include:

  • Equipment, cost and time commitment needed
  • The lifecycle of the Honey Bee
  • Colony management
  • Swarm control
  • Honey extraction
  • Pests & diseases
  • What you can expect during your first year of beekeeping
  • Advice on hive location and obtaining your first colony of bees

The next Beginners Course will be held in Spring 2024. Please contact training@stalbansbees.org for more information.

Hives for All Scheme

One you have completed the Beginners Course you can take the next step towards managing a live colony. We offer a hive rental and mentorship scheme, Hives for All, to all prospective beekeeper (limited spaces per season).

In your first year we provide a mentor and some bees and you will be allocated a spot at one of our teaching apiaries. At the end of the year you can choose to purchase the bees and their hive, or walk away with not so much as a few stings, some basic equipment and Country Membership to our association (optional, of course).

This scheme is offered to those who have attended our beginners course (recommended for anyone wishing to start beekeeping). The course is held around the beginning of spring.

All you will need in your first year is a beekeeping suit, boots (preferably wellies) and gloves (washing up gloves will suffice) and a commitment to attend the apiary every Saturday (give or take) through the summer.

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  • Beekeeping Training across Herts

  • Further Training

    Herts BKA provides a range of training courses which are designed to augment the training provided by the local associations across Hertfordshire. These include the following:

    • Healthy Bee Day. Provides practical training on how to keep your bees healthy, including how to inspect your bees to detect any problems and what to do if you see anything that doesn’t look right.

    • Queen-rearing course. Raising your own queens to improve your stock and to create new colonies is an important part of beekeeping. This all-day course covers the theory and practice of queen rearing and will help you move your beekeeping to the next level.

    • Microscopy. We run a range of different microscopy training courses.

    • Study groups. If you are studying for the BBKA modules, we run study groups that put you in contact with other students on the same track and supports your learning and revision for the exams.

    For details of these and any other training you are interested in, please contact the Herts training officer at training@hertsbees.org.uk.

    Examinations

    Herts BKA provides access to the BBKA practical and module exams (including the Basic Assessment). Please contact examinations-secretary@hertsbees.org.uk who will let you have further information and application forms.

  • New Season Preparation and Refresher Course

  • Date(s): Wednesdays: 15 February, 22 February and 1 March 2023
    Location: Welwyn Garden City
    Cost: £15.00 includes refreshments

    A 3-evening course for those who’ve completed a year’s practical beekeeping experience, and those wishing to use the course as a refresher. The course includes:
    • New Season Hive Inspections – first, spring, summer, autumn
    • Pest and Disease Awareness
    • Swarm prevention – Pagden method
    • Swarm Collecting Overview
    • Uniting Colonies
    • Extracting Foraged Honey
    • Autumn treating and feeding process
    • Preparing the hive for winter

  • Swarm Collecting Course

  • Date: TBA
    Location: Welwyn Garden City
    Cost: £5.00 includes refreshments

    To help those collecting their own swarms when preventative measures have failed, and for those wishing to become involved in going out to collect swarms; a fascinating and rewarding process. The course includes:
    • Background and stages of swarming
    • Swarm Collector coordination
    • The Swarm Collection Process
    • Swarm Collecting Equipment
    • Handling and Distribution of Collected Swarm

  • Basic Assessment Preparation Course

  • Date(s): TBA
    Location: Welwyn Garden City
    Cost: £15.00 includes refreshments

    A very useful 3-evening course for those with at least 2 or 3 years’ experience. It provides a check for you as to how well you’re doing, and areas that might need some ‘brushing up’. Optionally you may then wish to take the BBKA Basic Assessment (a practical assessment that takes approximately 1 hour). The course follows the BBKA Basic Assessment syllabus, covering:
    • Inspecting a Honeybee Colony
    • Beekeeping equipment
    • The natural history of the Honeybee
    • Beekeeping in general
    • Diseases and Pests
    Important: For those wishing to progress on to further husbandry, modules, and microscopy training and wish to take the associated Assessments or Examinations, then you are required to have passed your Basic Assessment

  • Nosema Testing and Monitoring

  • Date(s): TBA 
    Location: TBA
    Cost: TBA

    The aim of the day is to provide the opportunity for you to have the level of Nosema in your hives tested by supplying a sample of bees; either bringing it yourself or asking someone else to bring it for you. You’ll also be able to see and ask questions about the testing of your bees being carried out, either just out of interest or if you’re possibly contemplating taking up Microscopy. Hopefully if we can have a good level of involvement across the County it will allow us to analyse the level of Nosema across the County of interest to us all.
    To allow the organisers to ensure there are a suitable number of people testing, please ensure that when you book you include whether you’d like your bees tested, and if so tentatively how many hives (I know that may change but gives us an idea of volumes), and your home town (to help us analyse results across the County)

  • Healthy Bee Day

  • Date: TBA
    Location: TBA
    Cost: Free

    The Healthy Bee Day is an invaluable annual event with the Eastern Regional Bee Inspectors who
    • give presentations providing up to date details of the various pests and diseases, including those that are notifiable
    • cover the latest methods of pest and disease control
    • demonstrate good husbandry practices to reduce the possibility of bee diseases being spread by the beekeeper
    • bring with them samples of pests and diseases so that those attending can se and smell brood diseases first hand
    Further details will be posted in due course.
  • The BBKA offer both practical and theoretical qualifications. The full set of these are available on their website 
    Link to BBKA Learning


St Albans & District Beekeepers Association CIO (SABKA) Registered Charity No-1193448
 is an Affiliated Local Association (ALA) of Hertfordshire Beekeepers Association (HBKA) Registered Charity No-1184766. 
Hertfordshire Beekeepers Association (HBKA) is an Area Association Member (AAM) of The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) Registered Charity No-1185343.
Click to view our Charity Registration Certificate

St Albans & District Beekeepers Association CIO (SABKA) Registered Charity No-1193448
 is an Affiliated Local Association (ALA) of Hertfordshire Beekeepers Association (HBKA) Registered Charity No-1184766. 
Hertfordshire Beekeepers Association (HBKA) is an Affiliated Local Association (ALA) of The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) Registered Charity No-1185343.
Click to view our Charity Registration Certificate

St Albans & District Beekeepers Association CIO (SABKA) Registered Charity No-1193448
 is an Affiliated Local Association (ALA) of Hertfordshire Beekeepers Association (HBKA) Registered Charity No-1184766. 
Hertfordshire Beekeepers Association (HBKA) is an Affiliated Local Association (ALA) of The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) Registered Charity No-1185343.
Click to view our Charity Registration Certificate

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