Beekeeping courses

About 

The Beeger Picture based in Nelspruit, offers two-day and one-day-condensed beekeeping courses. They also offer live honey bee removals and relocations, pollination services, hive management and honey extraction.

Courses offered

The Two-Day Course

Content of Day One – Basic Beekeeping Course – Theory 8:00 – 15:00

Session one: Introduction – What is Beekeeping?
Understanding your “animal”
Needs of the honey bee colony
Products from the bee hive: Honey, Beeswax & Propolis

Session Two: The Basics
Beekeeping Equipment and How to Use It
Where to put the Apiary?
Keeping Bees: General Apiary Management
Getting bees in your hive
Basic inspection techniques
Pests and diseases
Feeding your bees
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES Handling Bees
Legislation and required registrations

Content of Day Two – Practical Beekeeping Course 

Practical Hive Inspection Session: 8:30 – 11:00
Practical Session: 11:00-13:00
Honey, Beeswax & Propolis Collection, Processing and uses
Fixing and cleaning frames
Replacing wax foundation in frames

Session Two: Theory
Beekeeping Management during the Year
Conditions for maximum honey production
Pollination services
Preparing your hive for pollination
Movement of hives and hive closure techniques
Basic Queen Rearing techniques

One-Day Condensed Course

Both theory and practical combined.

About 

The Honey Bee Group presents monthly (every first Saturday) Basic Beekeeping Courses and every alternate month we do a very comprehensive Bee Removal and Relocation Course.

Courses offered

Basic Beekeeping Course

This comprehensive full-day beekeeping course from 08H30 to 16H00 with the primary objective to equip students with the necessary knowledge to:

Understand the operational structure of the hive, including the roles and responsibilities within it | Comprehend the life cycle of the African Honey bee | Gain proficiency in basic hive management techniques, such as hive placement, smoking, and hive inspection | Acquire essential bee farming skills, including feeding, swarm management, and queen marking | Identify and address potential threats to the hive, such as pests and predators | Learn effective techniques for honey harvesting and receive valuable tips on the subject | Understand the significance of logging and record keeping in beekeeping |

Bee Removal and Relocation Course

A full day 08H30 to 21H30, of a comprehensive specialist training course for beekeepers wanting to become bee removal specialists is offered bi-monthly. The latter will require of the apiarist to have at least a basic understanding of the intricacies of beekeeping relevant to the African Honey bee (Apis Mellifera Scuttelata).

The primary objectives of this specialised course are to enable students to:
Conduct preliminary assessments of bee removal situations | Evaluate potential risks to both the client and themselves with regards to bee removals | Determine the safest approach to bee removal, considering both safety aspects and the actual removal process | Learn techniques such as cut-out or out-trapping as options for a bee removal | Plan and execute safe and ethical removal and relocation of African honey bee colonies | Understand the respective responsibilities of the client and the apiarist (bee removal specialist) | Gain insight into liability insurance considerations |

About YoUBee Honey

Elizabeth Lamond offers training courses in both Ficksburg and Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State. 

Courses offered

Introduction and Intermediate

The Ficksburg courses are held at Sandhurst Estate.  The Bloemfontein courses are held at The Bee Shop.