Course Objectives

At the end of this IRES training course, you will learn:

• Participants will learn about the history of beekeeping and collecting honey for food.
• They will have a firm understanding about why honey bees are dying and how to help them.
• Students will learn the cost/time commitment, equipment needed, and everything else they need to know to become a beekeeper.
• Participants will know what state and local regulations they should research before placing hives on their property.
• Participants will learn about the primary breeds of honey bees used by beekeepers, and about their basic physiology.
• Participants will know where to buy their own honey bees.
• Participants will learn about the main types of hives used by beekeepers.
• Participants will know what basic beekeeping equipment they need and where to buy it from reputable suppliers.
• Participants will also know how to setup their hives and put their bees into them.
• They will learn about the different diseases and parasites that affect honeybees, and how to treat them.
• Participants will learn the annual hive maintenance schedule used by beekeepers, and what they should be looking for during each season of the year.
• They will have a solid understanding of how to manage the hives and inspect them on a regular basis.
• They will know when and how to extract the honey from the hives, process it, and bottle it for sale.

Course Outline

Module 1

• History of Beekeeping
• Benefits of Bees
• Decline of the Honeybee Population

Module 2

• Zoning, Neighbors, Family Support, Costs, and Time Considerations
• What You Need to Do Before You Start Beekeeping
• Types of Honey Bees

Module 3

• Obtaining Your Bees
• How Bees Communicate and Make Honey
• Honey Bee Life Cycle - Honeybee Jobs & How Queens are Made
• Types of Hives

Module 4

• Selecting a Location for Your Hives
• Protecting Your Hives with Raised Stands and Fencing
• Basic Beekeeping Equipment - What You Need and What's Optional

Module 5

• How to Build Your Equipment for Your Bees Arrival?
• How to Install Your Bees into Their New Hive?

Module 6

• Do's and Don'ts Before Visiting Your Hives
• How Often to Inspect Your Hive Throughout the Year
• How to Inspect a Beehive - Inside and Out?

Module 7

• What to Expect Your First 12 Months
• Beekeeping Calendar: How Beekeeping Inspections Change Throughout the Year
• How Nectar Flow and Bloom Cycles Affect Your Bees

Module 8

• Common Hive Problems
• Potential Hive Diseases

Module 9

• Honeybee Pests - Prevention and Treatment
• Honey Harvest - Honey Extraction Equipment Needed & How to Harvest Your Honey
• Honey Label Requirements

Module 10

• Cleaning Up Your Beeswax to Make Bee Products with It
• When and How to Prepare Your Hives for Winter