Have you thought about becoming a beekeeper in the past, but struggled to find the resources to help you get started? Maybe you’re interested in protecting the world’s most important pollinator species, or maybe you just want to keep an endless supply of delicious natural honey in your pantry. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to become a beekeeper, you’re in luck!
In March, the University of California, Davis will begin offering beekeeping courses under the direction of a professional apiculturist.
These courses will cover a wide variety of subjects, from planning your first hive to queen-rearing techniques and varroa mite management strategies. Some of the courses are designed specifically for novice beekeepers, while others offer more advanced training for students who already have some beekeeping experience.
The beekeeping classes will be held at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on the UC Davis Campus, and they will run from March 24 to June 16. The curriculum will include a combination of hands-on exercises and lectures from Elina Lastro Niño, who holds a Ph.D. in entomology and has written extensively about bee biology and health.
March will be here before we know it, but registration for the beekeeping courses is still open. You can even purchase a gift certificate for a loved one who’s an aspiring beekeeper. This is a great opportunity to learn from an experienced apiculturist in an academic setting.
To learn more about Elina Niño’s beekeeping courses at UC Davis, you can visit the bee lab’s website here.