Overview
A practical and informative course over 10 evenings providing the necessary knowledge and skills to get established in beekeeping.
Who is the course for?
Anyone new to or interested in keeping bees who wants to learn more about the craft.
Course Content
- Manipulation of a colony of honeybees.
- Understanding the construction and siting of hives and colonies.
- Natural history of the honeybee and colony structure.
- Examination of the colonies cyclical calendar.
- Examination of colony diseases and signs of poisoning.
- Harvesting the colony.
This course has both theoretical and practical sessions.
Trainee View:
"The preliminary beekeeping course provided me with a comprehensive overview of keeping and looking after bees. It also helped me understand that bees are wild creatures we cannot fully control, but the more we know about them and try to understand them, the better we are equipped to work with them and benefit from what they have to offer. 2008 has been a bad year for bees, though I am sure the course helped me provide better for the welfare of my bees and in turn they gave me a quantity of honey I might not otherwise have had. The ten course sessions gave me an opportunity to meet and share the experiences of other beekeepers as well as to enjoy their company."
Michael Palframan, Bellaghy
How to Apply
Download an application form
Alternatively send an enquiry to the short course team.
Next Course Dates
| Antrim |
Comber |
Enniskillen |
Dromore (Co Down) |
Ballygawley |
Cullybackey |
Limavady |
Knocknagoney |
| 15 Feb 2010 |
|
15 Feb 2010 |
11 Jan 2010 |
18 Jan 2010 |
|
|
Places available |
| 22 Feb 2010 |
|
22 Feb 2010 |
18 Jan 2010 |
25 Jan 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
01 Mar 2010 |
|
01 Feb 2010 |
|
|
|
Course |
Course |
08 Mar 2010 |
Course |
08 Feb 2010 |
Course |
Course |
2 Mar 2010 |
Full |
Full |
15 Mar 2010 |
Full |
15 Feb 2010 |
Full |
Full |
9 Mar 2010 |
|
|
22 Mar 2010 |
|
22 Feb 2010 |
|
|
16 Mar 2010 |
| 29 Mar 2010 |
|
29 Mar 2010 |
22 Feb 2010 |
01 Mar 2010 |
|
|
23 Mar 2010 |
| Easter |
|
Easter |
01 Mar 2010 |
08 Mar 2010 |
|
|
Easter |
| 12 Apr 2010 |
|
12 Apr 2010 |
Practical 1 |
Practical 1 |
|
|
13 Apr 2010 |
| Practical 1 |
|
Practical 1 |
Practical 2 |
Practical 2 |
|
|
20 Apr 2010 |
| Practical 2 |
|
Practical 2 |
|
|
|
|
27 Apr 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
04 May 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18 May 2010 |

Michael Palframan, Bellaghy who completed the Preliminary Beekeeping Course in 2008 with some of this years produce