Local Honey Bee and Bumblebee Events

Last updated 22nd March 2012

By Bee Dispatch

STARTING SOON (APRIL) AT STANMER
Wednesdays from April - Practical Beekeeping for Beginners at Plumpton or Stanmer
This ten week practical course is designed for those new to beekeeping or who have limited experience and want a chance to develop their skills.  The course will provide all the help you need to work confidently with a full colony and manage them successfully to produce a honey crop.  Some of the topics covered are:- Lighting a smoker, Personal protective clothing. Identify the bees and their development within the hive, Managing a hive, Swarm control, Varroa, Inspection for disease.

Duration: 1 afternoon per week at Stanmer Park or 1 evening a week at Plumpton for 10 weeks
Time: 1.30pm-4.30pm (Stanmer) or 6.30pm-9.30pm (Plumpton)
Tuition Fee: Full fee £300
Course Code: Plumpton AA9/11 Stanmer AA9/11/STPK, Max: 12
Contact: 01273 892052. Email: pd@plumpton.ac.uk

Intermediate Beekeeping Skills
This course is aimed at beekeepers that have some experience in beekeeping and want to keep up to date.  The course is also an excellent way to improve hive management skills without acquiring a formal qualification.  This series of theory and practical evenings looks at all aspects of managing a honey bee colony through the year including transfer to new comb, making nucs, queen rearing, artificial swarming, uniting, moving colonies, and inspection for diseases, honey production, extraction and bottling, feeding & apiary records.
Duration: 30 sessions.  Date: Tuesdays.  Time: 6.30pm - 9.30pm including practical sessions at the hives. Tuition Fee: Full fee £800.  Course Code: AA9/11/B. Contact: 01273 892052. Email: pd@plumpton.ac.uk (Note: This course will not run unless people register in advance).

Saturday 14th April - West Sussex BKA Bee Market and Auction.  The West Sussex Beekeepers' Association is again organising a Bee Market and Auction for the Benefit of its members and non members.  The event will take place at Chichester College's - Brinsbury Campus, North Heath, Pulborough, RH20 1DL on Saturday 14th April.  Free Admission and Car Parking.  Auction usually commences at about 1.00pm.  Auction Details, Guidance Notes and Rules and the Entry Form, is available from the WSBKA website - www.bbka.org.uk/local/westsussex.

Sunday 15th April - BEEKEEPING TASTER DAYS AT BURGESS HILL APIARY
A one day course specially designed for those with little or no knowledge of bees or beekeeping.  These one day courses are the ideal opportunity to get an idea of what it would be like to keep bees. Topics include: Bee population and behaviour, Hive management and maintenance, Honey production and Harvesting etc.,

Duration 1 day at Burgess Hill on either SUNDAY 15th April or Thursday 19th April - Time: 9am - 5pm.  Fee £45 Lunch included Contact Heather McNiven email: heathermcniven@btinternet.com

Thursday 19th April - BEEKEEPING TASTER DAYS AT BURGESS HILL APIARY
A one day course specially designed for those with little or no knowledge of bees or beekeeping.  These one day courses are the ideal opportunity to get an idea of what it would be like to keep bees. Topics include: Bee population and behaviour, Hive management and maintenance, Honey production and Harvesting etc.,

Duration 1 day at Burgess Hill.  Time: 9am - 5pm.  Fee £45 Lunch included Contact Heather McNiven email: heathermcniven@btinternet.com

Saturday 28th April - An Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping
Venue: SWT, Woods Mill, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9SD. Tel: 01273 497561
Time: 10.00 - 16.00
Tutor: Amanda Millar
Cost: Non-members £35.00 Members/Volunteers £25.00

The decline in the honeybee population around the globe is causing great concern so the Trust has joined together with the Brighton & Lewes Beekeepers Association to promote the importance of these insects.  There will be an indoor session in the morning and the tutor will be bringing some bees to the reserve for the afternoon session.

Learn about: The ecology and wildlife implications of honeybees; The importance to environment and human beings; Health and disease management basic principles; The biology of honeybees.  Course Highlights: Looking at the activity within a beehive; An outdoor session with bees.

Friday 4th May - An Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping
Venue: SWT, Woods Mill, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9SD. Tel: 01273 497561
Time: 10.00 - 16.00
Tutor: Amanda Millar
Cost: Non-members £35.00 Members/Volunteers £25.00

The decline in the honeybee population around the globe is causing great concern so the Trust has joined together with the Brighton & Lewes Beekeepers Association to promote the importance of these insects.  There will be an indoor session in the morning and the tutor will be bringing some bees to the reserve for the afternoon session.

Learn about: The ecology and wildlife implications of honeybees; The importance to environment and human beings; Health and disease management basic principles; The biology of honeybees.  Course Highlights: Looking at the activity within a beehive; An outdoor session with bees.

Saturday 5th May - Stanmer Divisional Apiary, Stanmer Park, Brighton.  The simplest way of making a new colony.  Queen Rearing.

Saturday 19th May - Heathfield BKA Bee Market and Auction.  The Sussex Beekeepers' Association is again organising a Bee Market and Auction for the Benefit of its members and non members.  The event will take place at Heathfield College, Old Heathfield, East Sussex on Saturday 19th May.  Free Admission and Car Parking.  Auction usually commences at about 1.00pm.  Auction Details, Guidance Notes and Rules and the Entry Form, is available from the website - (details to follow shortly).

Saturday 2nd June - Stanmer Divisional Apiary, Stanmer Park, Brighton.  Queen Rearing.  Simple Queen Introduction.

7th, 8th & 9th June - South of England Show, Ardingly.

Saturday 23rd June - Whiteland's Pumping Station Divisional Apiary, Hassocks.  Adding supers when and where.  Talk on varroa treatments.  Methods of clearing bees from full supers, prior to extracting.

Saturday 30th June - The Conservation, Ecology and Identification of Bumblebees
Venue: The Downs Barn, Lambleys Lane, Sompting Estate, BN14 9JX. Tel: 01273 497561
Time: 10.00 - 16.00
Tutor: Mike Edwards
Cost: Non-members £35.00 Members/Volunteers £25.00

Bumblebees are generally easy to recognise but find out how to tell the different species apart and how to conserve these important insects.

Learn about: Important features for accurate identification; Main ecological differences between the species and implications for conservation; How bumblebee conservation can be integrated into an actively farmed landscape.

Course Highlights: Finding out the variety of bumblebees there are and how to identify them.

Saturday 21st July - Grass Roots Divisional Apiary, Burgess Hill.  Disease Recognition, Honey Removal, Stores and Frame Assessment.  Planning for Winter.

Saturday 21st July - The Conservation, Ecology and Identification of Bumblebees
Venue: Linklater Pavilion, Railway Land, Lewes, BN7 2RF. Tel: 01273 497561
Time: 10.00 - 16.00
Tutor: Mike Edwards
Cost: Non-members £35.00 Members/Volunteers £25.00

Bumblebees are generally easy to recognise but find out how to tell the different species apart and how to conserve these important insects.

Learn about: Important features for accurate identification; Main ecological differences between the species and implications for conservation; How bumblebee conservation can be integrated into an actively farmed landscape.

Course Highlights: Finding out the variety of bumblebees there are and how to identify them.

Occasionally Dates and Venue's do change - check April, WSBKA, Bee Market, Brinsbury College, Pulborough, West Sussex.  These pages will be updated regularly.