Advanced Bee Husbandry Course - 2008

This one week residential course has been organised by the Examination Board for the National Diploma in Beekeeping in co-operation with the National Bee Unit and will take place in their teaching laboratory / lecture theatre complex and apiaries at the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) at York from Monday 7th to Friday 11th July.

The fee for the course, which includes bed and breakfast accommodation from Sunday night till Saturday morning (if required), with all meals on site (except Friday evening dinner) and tuition is £375. York University is providing the accommodation in student single rooms. Course participants should aim to arrive by 20.00 on the Sunday evening, with registration and introduction at the National Bee Unit for 9.00 on the Monday.

Laboratory facilities, including microscopes, tools and consumable materials will be provided; but students can, if they wish, bring their own microscopes. Please note that for safety reasons any electrical equipment brought in by students will be safety tested on arrival. Students should bring a white laboratory coat to wear during the laboratory sessions and their bee suits and tools for apiary work. Smokers will be provided.

Queen cell inspection

Aims of the Course

The Advanced Beekeeping Course is designed to develop the knowledge and extend the skills of beekeepers in all of the practical aspects of good colony and apiary management.

The themes running through this course are: microscopy; disease recognition; pest management; colony inspection, reading and management techniques; botany; and adult external anatomy.

Many beekeepers aim to obtain the National Diploma in Beekeeping as a hallmark of their beekeeping expertise, but this ambition is not a prerequisite for a place on the course.

Queen rearing

Normally, students on the course would be expected to have achieved BBKA Intermediate standard, though any beekeeper having a standard of beekeeping knowledge sufficient to benefit from the course may apply. However, the involvement of laboratory facilities, closely supervised apiary activities and the need for individual tuition and guidance requires that the numbers accepted for the course must be limited.

The tutors are available throughout the week to discuss any aspect of the British beekeeping examinations.

The courses are planned to include some differences in course content each year to enable students to attend in subsequent years and thus be able to study a wider range of subjects. The study of adult and brood diseases will, however, be included in every course in view of their special importance. Adult bee samples may be brought in by students for examination, but no brood or comb should be brought along.

A special teaching / laboratory suite has been made available for the duration of the course. The on-site apiary plus out apiaries will be made available.

Access to the excellent libarary facilities will be made available. Students must be aware that parts of the CSL are high security areas and consequently with restricted access. There is a no-smoking policy in force.

Lunch time meals may be taken in the canteen. The evening meal will be a buffet delivered to the suite (except Friday). A timetable is available for download.

Diseased combs for examination will be provided by the NBU directly.

Personal transport will be necessary to and from the CSL, though we hope to encourage car sharing.

Applications for places on this course should be made to the Course Director, K. Basterfield, NDB, email ken@basterfield.com. Selection usually takes place by late April, though early applications are encouraged.

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Updated 3 March 2008