Responsible Beginners' Beekeeping

The day will comprise six short PowerPoint presentations covering different aspects of beekeeping:

1. Introduction to keeping bees

2. The hive

3. Beginners’ equipment

4. The colony

5. The beekeeping year

6. Threats arising to honey bees (including from the Asian Hornet)

These will be complemented with practical demonstrations of equipment and common methods of management used by beekeepers.

Demonstrations will use a teaching hive and we will also watch a video to see bees in action in the hive

The day will finish with information and advice on how to take up the hobby if that’s how participants wish to progress

By the end of the session, you will be able to:

1. Understand the responsibility and commitment required in keeping honey bees and their safe introduction to an environment where there are people and other pollinators that will be impacted by their presence

2. Recognise queen, workers and drones in a hive and understand the yearly cycle of the colony related to rearing young, building comb and division of labour including pollination and honey production

3. Know the equipment needed and the work and responsibility of the hobby beekeeper in looking after a colony of bees

4. Be able to safely site and manipulate a colony of bees with due care to health and safety of family and neighbours in the near vicinity

Led by Roger Simpson, an experienced beekeeper and secretary of Whitstable & Herne Bay Beekeepers, a branch of Kent Beekeepers Association. Roger presents to groups of all ages and backgrounds in Kent on pollinators, honey bees and beekeeping, he is also Chair of Kent Beekeepers Association, a registered charity. Roger worked for 30 years as a solicitor and now works as a final salary pension scheme trustee.

Suitable for beginners and those interested in becoming a hobby beekeeper.

For further information, please visit the Study Days page of the Kent Wildlife Trust website.