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2024/2025 Winter - How to be a Beekeeper
Learn how to be a beekeeper with Leeds Beekeepers Association.
For people interested in taking up Beekeeping as a hobby, Leeds Beekeepers Association offers a number of courses for beginners during 2024/2025.
All our courses cover both beekeeping theory (colony composition, swarm control, hive types, buying bees, apiary locations, getting started, etc.) and practical beekeeping, where you will be tutored whilst inspecting live colonies of bees.
As part of your fee you will become a member of Leeds Beekeepers Association (LBKA) and the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) which will include a beekeeping magazine, BBKA News, throughout the year.
All courses are led by experienced and qualified beekeepers and are designed so that participants will gain sufficient knowledge and confidence to keep their own bees.
Any child attending must be accompanied by a paying adult.
We provide bee suits and gloves for use during the course, however, you need to bring your own footwear,. preferably wellies or similar boots to protect your ankles.
The full course dates and times are:
04/09/24 18.00 - 19.30 @ Temple Newsam - Practical inspection session
0210/24 19:00- 21:00 @ The Newman Centre, Crossgates - The colony and the hive
06/11/24 19:00-21:00 @ The Newman Centre, Crossgates - The beekeeping year + Products of the hive
06/12/24 19:00-21:00 @ The Newman Centre, Crossgates - Queens and swarm control
08/01/25 19:00-21:00 @ The Newman Centre, Crossgates - Making hives and frames
05/02/25 19:00-21:00 @ The Newman Centre, Crossgates - Pests and diseases
05/03/25 19:00-21:00 @ The Newman Centre, Crossgates - Getting started & transferring bees from a nuc
30/04/24 18:15-20:00 @ Temple Newsam - Practical inspection session
07/05/24 18:15-20:00 @ Temple Newsam - Practical inspection session
14/05/24 18:15-20:00 @ Temple Newsam - Practical inspection session
21/05/24 18.15-20.00 @ Temple Newsam - Practical inspection session
The dates of practical sessions are subject to appropriate weather conditions.
We can assist in supplying locally sourced and reared Yorkshire bees, we can also assist in acquiring new beekeeping equipment at fair prices. Details will be provided during the course.
put us into your safe Contacts List as 'Leeds Beekeepers Association <lbka@webcollect.org.uk>'
Support offered during and after the course:
- A Beginners’ book on beekeeping
- Comprehensive course notes and presentations
- Mentoring (at least 4 weeks) to those that purchase nucs from LBKA
- Attendance at Weds Apiary meetings- experienced beekeepers on hand to discuss problems
- Attendance at apiary Improver sessions throughout the Spring/Summer
- Attendance at hive inspections on a Monday afternoon (limited by availability)
- Encouragement and support to undertake the BBKA Basic Assessment after at least 12 months of beekeeping