Beekeeping 101 & 201

Located at Green River College - Science Center

101 - 9:00am - 11:30am

Unveil the fascinating world of Apis mellifera, the common honeybee, and unlock the secrets of their intricate, buzzing society. This introductory course, Beekeeping 101, is your first step into becoming a confident and connected beekeeper. We’ll be exploring the basic biology of the individual honeybee. We'll explore the essential equipment—including frames, hive boxes, protective clothing, the smoker, and hive tools—giving you the foundational knowledge to confidently interact with a hive. You'll learn how your efforts directly support bee health and contribute to the broader beekeeping community.

201 - 12:00pm - 2:30pm

This course provides the skills necessary for effective colony management. Rather than a traditional lecture, this class features a highly immersive, hands-on learning experience. You will actively practice the techniques required to master the hive inspection, focusing on methods that ensure minimal stress and damage to both the honeybees and the hive equipment. You will receive instruction on the critical importance of maintaining detailed hive logs and data tracking, transforming your weekly observations into informed, proactive management decisions for the long-term health of your hive.

*If you are interested in attending just the morning or afternoon, and not both, please contact us directly at store@beesinthe-burbs.com to register for a single class.

Teaching this class is Professor Danny Najera, a leading voice in bee health and a full-time instructor at Green River College. With a Ph.D. in Entomology and Ecology from the University of Kansas, Professor Najera has dedicated over 15 years to extensive research on honeybee colony decline. He founded the Green River Honeybees program and has made a measurable positive impact on local colony survival, bringing real-world, cutting-edge data directly to the classroom.