Backyard Beekeeping Workshop for Beginners

A full day workshop covering the basics of everything you need to know about keeping bees in your backyard. 

Topics will include:

• the lifecycle of a bee and the roles of the female workers, the male drones and the all-important Queen (and how to spot her!)
• the jobs bees share and learning how hard they work
• pollination and the symbiotic relationship between pollinators and flowering plants
• bee anatomy - focusing on their honey stomach, their proboscis and their wax production glands,  
• the incredible science behind the bees converting nectar into honey
• hive and equipment management, 
• pests & disease basics and 
  
• how to get started with beekeeping, including equipment lists, approximate costs and ongoing maintenance requirements 

You will also have an invaluable hands-on experience up close and personal to the bees in full protective gear, where you will get to:

• hold a frame of bees inside a live bee hive onsite at Burnetts On Barney
• watch them at work with all their different jobs  
• observe the bees' life cycle by witnessing first-hand the tiny egg stage through to the larvae stage, and maybe even see a young worker bee emerging for the first time from her cell. 
• You will see pollen, nectar and honey and bees wax in the honeycomb cells, and 
• if we are really lucky, you might even spot the Queen Bee!

A delicious morning tea and lunch is provided by The Quarry Cafe at Burnetts on Barney, to give us a chance to de-buzz our brains. 

And of course, the day would not be complete without a honey tasting from Burnetts' home-grown honey! 

You will be provided with class notes, which will include information on how to purchase a hive, bees and other equipment. 

* All protective gear provided ... BYO boots ... recommended for 16+ years ... not recommended if anaphylactic

If you have any questions about the workshop, you can phone Rachael any time to discuss prior to the workshop on 0409860044.