This introduction to beekeeping course is designed to provide new beekeepers with the practical skills and background knowledge to start beekeeping with confidence.
The course consists of 3 online video conference sessions (Thursday nights) plus a practical session on the following Sunday at the club apiary (at Collingwood Children’s Farm). This will involve live hive opening and inspection as well as other hands-on skill building exercises and tutoring.
Additionally, participants will have access to a private discussion forum providing Q&A and mentoring throughout the course and for the following month. For members, we will also include a single, virtual mentoring visit to your own home apiary via Zoom. 
The course leader is a certified master beekeeper and our highly qualified tutors have experience with both conventional Langstroth hives and Flow hives as well as top bar hives.
The hive session is weather dependent and in the event of completely unsuitable weather, we will schedule an alternative date or dates.
A certificate of completion will be awarded once the online quiz has been successfully attempted.
No previous experience is required. Loan protective equipment is provided for the hive session.
1: Introducing bees and beekeeping
2: Equipment requirements
3: Biology of the bee
4: Inspecting and handling bees
5: The Apiary and Biosecurity Codes of Practice
6: Diseases and pests
7: Looking ahead (harvesting honey/swarms/preparing for winter)
Exercises: Lighting smoker, hive inspection and Varroa check
Feedback from previous courses
- This is one of the BEST courses I've attended. It was an excellent mix of theory and practical and the presenter Andrew was excellent and very knowledgeable
- Would I recommend this training to other beekeepers? Absolutely. The training, resources provided and learning experience was excellent
Membership discount if you join VAA
If you sign up as a member you will pay the member fee ($100) rather than the non-member fee ($150). This means you pay ($100+$90) and get a year's membership of VAA for $40 - less than half price! Here's how to do it:
If you're joining as a member and registering for an event at the same time, you can make a single payment for the multiple transactions. To avoid paying separately for each transaction, follow these steps:
- First sign up as a VAA member, but click the Invoice me button rather than the Pay online button.
- Then register for the course at the member rate and click the Pay online button and all your transactions will be combined into a single payment.