The IEBA offers several beekeeping classes.  The basic beekeeping class now has a new and exciting format.

This is a five and one half day course spread over four months emphasizing learning in the bee yard with the bees. The end result will be certified beekeepers who meet the requirements for WA State certification. Emphasis will be placed on small group instruction in a bee yard with experienced beekeepers as teachers. This will be accomplished with three phases

Phase I Basic Beekeeping:

An introduction to beekeeping, equipment, supplies, and how to prepare for the upcoming honey season.

WSU Extension Office, 222 N. Havana
Group A: 20 March 2010, Saturday 9-5 PM
Group B: 27 March 2010, Saturday 9-5 PM

Goal: To teach students on basic beekeeping of honey bees and how to care for their honey bees during the first week after package day. To prepare students to order, prepare and setup equipment prior to package day.

Lessons I, II, & III of the apprentice booklet will be taught and tested. Homework: Lesson IV, V, VIII, & IX

Lesson I: Familiarization of Beekeeping Equipment

• Hives and all of the various parts
• Bee suits
• Tools: smoker, hive tools

Handouts for this class include:

• Apprentice Booklet
• IEBA Beekeeping CD
• Basic Beekeeping Syllabus
• Minimum Equipment List
• Low Cost Equipment Alternatives
• Key Personnel & Mentor List
• IEBA Bee Yard Map & Directions
• Bee Equipment Source List
• Fun Facts about Beekeepers

Lesson II: Honey Bees: Queens, Workers, Drones

Types: Italian, Carniolan, Caucasian, Russian
Life cycle: Egg, Larva, Pupa, Adult
Season cycle:

Handouts II:

• For Spokane City Beekeepers - Certification Test Packet; Complete and maill to the Master Beekeeper representative prior to package day.

Lesson III: Getting Started: (Spring months)

• Order Bees and equipment
• Assemble hive
• Location selection and placement .
• Feeding
• What to expect the first six weeks
• What not to do

IMPORTANT: Make sure you order equipment and bees early. Have it ready for package day.

Package Day: 17 April, 2010

Package Installation Class: At the County Extension office parking lot. Pickup map for next week’s
class at the IEBA bee yard.

• Installation Demonstrations:
• Package into IEBA hive with drawn comb
• Package into IEBA hive with only foundation
• Nuc on site to show eggs, larva, capped brood and capped honey

Go pick up your package; install, sit back, watch, and enjoy.

 

Phase II:  How to work your hive

Field Day 1: Small group instruction:

Bring bee suits, smokers, hive tools, & apprentice booklet. Lessons: V, V, VIII, & IX. Homework: Lessons VI, VII, & X.

24 April, 2010, Weather day, 1 May, 2010
IEBA Bee Yard (use map)
Group A: 9-12  Group B: 1-4

Lesson I: Open and inspect a hive

• Frame arrangement, frames of bees & honey, food status, worker health
• Find the Queen
• Bee samples (gather samples to be sent to WSU) Results at next class

Lesson II:  Spring Cleaning

• Reverse the hive
• Evaluate dead outs

Lesson III:  Evaluate new (package) colonies

Lesson IV:  Feed a colony (both over-wintered and package bees)

lesson V:  What to do with your bees between now and the next field day.

 

Field Day 2:  Small group instruction:

Bring bee suits, smokers, hive tools, & apprentice booklet. Lessons: V, V, VIII, & IX. Homework: Lessons VI, VII, & X.

15 May, 2010, Weather day, 22 May, 2010
IEBA Bee Yard (use map)
Group A: 10 - 1PM  Group B: 1-4 PM

Lesson I:  Students inspect hives

• Open and inspect a hive:  Frames of bees & honey, food status, worker health

Lesson II:  Evaluate expansion of the hive:

• Brood rearing, pollen collection, nectar or syrup increase

Lesson III:  Balance hives:  Frame arrangement

Lesson IV:  Swarm control measures

Lesson V:  Feed

 

Field Day 3:  Small group instruction:

Bring bee suits, smokers, hive tools, and apprentice booklet.  Lessons: IV, V, VIII, and IX.  Homework: Lessons VI, VII, and V.

12 June, 2010, Weather day, 19 June, 2010
IEBA Bee Yard (use map)
Group A: 10 - 1PM  Group B: 1-4 PM

Lesson I:  Students inspect hives

• Open and inspect a hive:  Frames of bees and honey, food status, worker health.

Lesson II:  Evaluate expansion of the hive:

• Queen function, Brood Rearing, Pollen Collection, nectar or syrup increase

Lesson III:  Balance hives & Swarm control measures

Lesson IV:  Disease identification

Lesson V:  Super

 

Phase III:  Fall and Winter Prep

Field day 4:  Small group instruction:

Bring bee suits, smokers, hive tools, and apprentice booklet.  Lessons VII, and X.  Review Lessons IV, V, VIII, and IX.  Final certification tests/retests

7 August, 2010
IEBA Bee Yard (use map)
Group A: 10 - 1PM  Group B: 1-4 PM

Lesson I:  Students inspect hives

• Open and inspect a hive:  Frames of bees and honey, food status, worker health.

Lesson II:  Pull Honey supers

Lesson III: Honey bank

Lesson IV: Mite evaluation, Disease identification

Lesson V: Collect samples

Lesson VI:  Dud identification, options for weak and too small hives, combining hives

Lesson VII:  Queen introduction

Lesson VIII: Weighing hives, fall feeding, winterizing.

 

Graduation:

Certificate Presentation during IEBA Picnic, 15 August, 2010, at Plantes Ferry Park, 1:00 PM.

 

Coordination and General Instructions:

After each Phase of Instructions, students will be given the certification tests for those lessons. Students may ake the test immediately and have them graded on site or take them home. After completing the test mail it to the Master Beekeeper representative.
Water will be available at the class sites. Students and teachers should bring a sack lunch.
Students must be on time. Maps will be available. Direction boards will be in place on Highway 395 for left
turn onto Staley Rd and on Staley Rd for left turn onto Wallbridge Rd. Another direction board will be at the
right turn onto Prufer Crosscut Rd and a fourth sign for the left turn into the farmers land. Drive slowly
through the barn area and look for the last sign for a left turn into the yard.
Safety is an individual responsibility. If you are allergic to honey bee stings, do not come.
When in doubt ask.
Apprentice Certificates will be awarded at the IEBA picnic in August at Plant’s Ferry Park. See beemail for
map and exact date/time. Come hungry.
Restroom facilities: TBD

 

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