Taster days are available to anyone interested in Bees. We take you through the very basics of beekeeping and if the weather allows you get to handle them too. If then you want to go on to full training, depending on the time of year we can arrange a discount on the Full training fess

Price for 2024 - TBA

Taster Days - Generally April (Now Full) May and June

Ever wondered if Beekeeping was for you?
Or thought that it is really important to maintain and manage bee stocks, but not been sure if you could do it?

Well one of our regular taster days might just be for you ....

You have 5 hours with an experienced bee keeper who will show you:

• The different types of hives available
• What the different hive parts are for
• Tools and what you need to keep bees
• Starter packs of kit and what to look for
• Chat about the life cycle of bees and how they have different jobs
• Owning and siting hives at home and in out apiaries
• Hive products - honey, wax, propolis, queens
• Safety wear
• Getting stung and what to do
• Catching swarms
• Handling Bees - yes you'll even get to dress up and open hives!
• What's next in your Beekeeping journey

You'll break for lunch at some point and finish up with a Q and A session. Starting at 9.30am and finishing at around 3pm.

Get a quick summary of our Beginners' Training Course here, or read on for the details

Price for 2024 - £50.00

Upgrade your MUBK only membership:

Membership options are:

Malvern and Upton Beekeepers Only £5

Country (as above plus receive the BBKA magazine) £15

Full (as above PLUS you have or expect to have bees) £30

Partner (someone else at your address is a full member) £22.50

Junior (under 18) £9.50

Theory Training

Well, you might have been on one of our Taster days and decided to take the plunge. Our theory training takes place at Hanley Swan Village Hall and is generally on a Thursday evening 7pm to 9.30pm

On the Course, we look at:

Week 1 - 7th March

• Bees and other pollinators
• Role of the Honey Bee
• Types, Life stages and hive activity
• Life cycle
• Sources of information

Week 2 - 14th March

• Hives, construction and types
• Bee space and it's importance
• Hive Products o Honey, Pollen, Beeswax, Propolis
• Safety, Protection and Stings
• Use of smokers

Week 3 - 21st March

• Harvesting and use of Bee products
• Honey extraction
• Pollen
• Beeswax
• Propolis
• Selling Honey
• Pathogens parasites and pests
• Setting up your apiary

Week 4 - 23rd March

• Practical demonstrations
• Making Frames
• Building Hives
• Bee suits

Week 5 - 28th March

• Colony Inspections
• Feeding
• Colony management
• Re-queening
• Preserving colony integrity and strength

Price for 2024 - £80.00
Combined with Theory £120.00

Practical Training

If you've got this far, you have probably got the bug!

Practical training takes place at our own Branch Apiary where we have up to 20 hives for you to practice on.

You will be put into groups and allocated a mentor who will work with you through the summer months and a full season.
We meet every Thursday evening from 6.30pm to about 8.30pm depending on the light and the weather and we start with a group chat on a training issue. Generally one that you will be doing that evening.

Occasionally we will invite a specialist to come and talk to you about their favourite topic.

Every evening, weather permitting you will be handling bees, experiencing how they live, operate, behave and learn how to manage them. By the end of August we will have covered the basics of beekeeping and you will have sufficient knowledge, if not confidence to get your own hive and start beekeeping.

Following years, as a member of the Branch, you will be invited to regular Improver evenings

Beginner’s Practical Course

Starts on Thursday 18^th April and continues every week throughout the Summer.

The Practical Course is held at our training apiary and starts at 6.30pm. Equipment including a bee suit, will be provided. Please bring your own wellies and Marigold type gloves. Normally the session includes a talk at the beginning followed by an opportunity to handle bees with an experienced beekeeper.

Combined Course includes both Theory and Practical Courses.

These are all included

with your Membership

Special Branch Events

During the year we also put on some Special Events for Branch members to support them in their Beekeeping:

• Bee Prepared, an afternoon where we talk about getting your beekeeping year off to a good start
• Nosema and Disease Workshop - an opportunity see bees under a microscope and learn more about common diseases
• BQT - Bee Question Time. This is usually a fun evening where members can put questions to a panel of experienced beekeepers, all of whom will have a different view!
• Memorial Lecture - this is usually on a subject that is loosely about parallel interests and of general countryside and ecological interest.
• Annual Dinner - always a fun evening
• Periodic BBQ - we like getting together for a BBQ and a chat about bees, beer, cider or sheep!
• Honey Show - our annual show case and a time for a bit of light hearted competition. We have entries for honey, wax, mead, candles, crafts, cakes and more.

Taster Days     Theory Course      Practicals    Special Events