MCBK Beginners Training
During the winter months our branch will be offering some training sessions for those thinking about or just starting out in beekeeping.
Experienced MCBK beekeepers will deliver a series of Zoom sessions covering all you need to know for your first year of beekeeping.
Between January and March we will deliver a series of six Zoom sessions covering all you need
to know for your first year of beekeeping. Topics covered will include:
An introduction to the honeybee
How to get started
What’s inside the beehive
The beekeeping seasons
Swarming
Honeybee health, pests and diseases
Bee nutrition and local forage
The honey harvest and other hive products
The sessions will be held at approximately fortnightly intervals at 7:30 pm on Monday evenings starting on
Monday 29th January 2024, and will be preceded by an introductory event on Wednesday 17th January.
The cost for the series of sessions and supporting materials is £40 per person.
Practical (hands-on) Training
Following on from the theory training we are running four practical (hands-on) training sessions at the MCBK Apiary at Grozone in Northwich (www.grozone.org.uk). Although the dates of some of these sessions might have to be adjusted owing to weather conditions they are scheduled for the following dates:
Saturday 11th May
Saturday 15th June
Saturday 13th July
Saturday 17th August
These practical training sessions will start at 1:00 pm and last for approximately 3 hours. They will cover the following topics:
Checking that you have the basic equipment and how to use it correctly
Hive hygiene
Loading and lighting a smoker
Records – what is needed and why
Planning the hive visit – what you want to achieve
Weather – is it fit to inspect
Regular inspections
Approaching the hive and assessing the colony
Inspection techniques and practices
Bee diseases and pests – what to look out for
Swarm prevention and control
The bees and hive during the season
Honey – extraction and jarring
Winter preparation and closing the hive
If you would like further information about either the theory or practical courses please contact us by e-mail at
[email protected]