2023 Bee School Syllabus

Here is how 2023 Bee School will go. Each class is 120 minutes with a 10 minute break in the middle. There will be lots of hands on teaching and plenty of time for questions. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early or log on by 6:30pm so we can get everyone checked in and registered.

SessionModuleClass TimeInstructor
One
Jan 9, 2023
Introductions & Overview
●The Basics
Surveys
Breaks
Books/Door Prizes (books and beekeeping supplies to be given as door prizes)
Raffles- a hive
Mentors- Pat
Apiary Workshops
15 minMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
Mentors5 minPat Roe
Henderson County CED, Henderson County Extension10 minDr. Terry Kelley
Welcome to your journey into BeeKeeping-20 minKim Bailey
Terminology & Parts of the Hive Demonstrations

55 minShane Masterson
Breakout Sessions15 minShane on zoom in front of room and Ricky and Jim in rooms 1 & 2
Two
Jan 16 2023
Introduction10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
Getting Started
Packages and Nucs
Where to obtain Bees
How do I get them in the box.
30 minJim Poe and Pat Roe
BREAKBREAK10 Minutes
Hive Inspections
Frequency
Things beekeepers should be looking for in & around the hive
Record keeping
30 MinutesJim Poe and Pat Roe
Bear Fences-It's Electric20 MinutesWill Garvey
Breakout Session20 MinutesShane and Ricky rooms 1&2, Jim on zoom
Three
Jan 23, 2023
Introduction10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
Life Cycle of the Bee
Bee Biology- The Colony
Superorganism
Annual Cycle of the Colony
The Honorary Mammal
Communication
Let’s Dance / 3 dances
Frequencies / Vibrations
Pheromones
Bee Biology- The Individual Bee
Life Cycle of Honey Bees
Brood Development Cycle
Adult Life Progression
Anatomy
Immune System
Different Bees for Different Seasons
Q & A


60 MinutesJanet Peterson, Master Beekeeper
BREAKBREAK10
Mentoring and Apiary40 MinutesAntoine and new beekeepers- Monica, Sergei
Four
January 30, 2023
Introductions10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
Seasonal Management Part 1
Spring- Summer (March-April)
Inspections:
Confirm expanding brood and room for expansion
Check for adequate stores: honey and pollen
● Feeding options
Sugar water, stored honey, dry sugar,pollen, etc
40 MinutesScott Davis, Master Beekeeper
BREAKBREAK10 Minutes
Observing the entrance- Who’s coming
out of the hive:
Foragers
Orientation flights
Guard bees
Swarm Control- When? How?
(Splits, nucs, etc.)
Supering (Tulip poplar flow)
Mite check
Recordkeeping
30 MinutesScott Davis, Master Beekeeper
Breakout Rooms20 MinutesScott zoom break out;
Shane and Ricky rooms 1&2
Five
Feb 6, 2023
Introductions10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
NCSBA Update10 MinutesScott Davis, NCSBA Master Beekeeper
Seasonal Management Part 2
Summer (May-June-July-August)
Inspections
Laying queen?
Eggs? Larva? Capped Brood?
Hive beetles? Varroa?
Adequate room for brood, honey, pollen
Feeding if needed
Nectar Flow Schedule
Tulip poplar
Sourwood
● Supering
Honey- Removing, replacing supers
Mites evaluation
Recordkeeping
40 MinutesScott Davis, NCSBA Master Beekeeper
BREAKBREAK10 Minutes
Fall (September-October-November)
● Robbing
● Feeding/Nutritional Issues
● Honey stores
● Adding and removing supers
● Mite control
● Recordkeeping
Winter
● Stores
● Mite treatment
Equipment
30 MinutesScott Davis, NCSBA Master Beekeeper
Breakout Rooms20 MinutesScott zoom break out;
Shane and Ricky rooms 1&2
Six
Feb 13, 2023
Introductions10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
Diseases and Parasites of the hive
Invaders: Mites, SHB, Wax Months, etc
Bacteria and Fungus: EFB, AFB, etc
IPM
Treatments: Treatment Free, Hard and Soft Chemicals
DriftWatch and BeeCheck
100 Minutes

Lewis Cauble,
Apiary Inspector at NC Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Seven
Feb 20, 2023
Introductions10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA
Most Frequent Problems for a New Beekeeper
● Review of some key points covered in class.
● Lessons from panelists beginner beekeeper experiences.
45 MinutesPanel Discussion
BREAKBREAK10 Minutes
Q&A20 MinutesPanel
Review of Apiary Syllabus15 minAntoine Ignizio
Closing Comments10 MinutesMichelle Tennant Nicholson, President HCBA