Online Apprentice-Level Beekeeping Course

Participants will learn the basics of keeping honey bees, including bee biology and care of bees throughout the year, how to recognize common honey bee ailments and pests and the treatment for them.  By the end of this course, participants will be able to manage honey bee colonies for maximum bee health and honey production. 

This course meets primarily online.  The last class meeting (a hands-on session) will meet from 8am until 3pm at the Fort Missoula bee yard.  Instructions for logging on to the online course will be sent to registrants about one week before the class begins.

Participants must have access to an internet-connected computer and should allow for 3 hours per week of study time.

For the hands-on session, participants are expected to provide their own hive tool, and bee suit. A veil with canvas beekeeper gloves, plus a pollinator jacket or full suit are acceptable. Beekeeping supplies are available from Western Bee 1-800-548-8440.

Participants are also expected to have the text book, which is available at the UM Bookstore or online at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Upon successful completion of the course, 2 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) will be awarded and a certificate issued.

The course offers optional academic credit and has been approved for one academic credit through The University of Montana Division of Biological Sciences as BIOB 191 Apprentice Beekeeping.  Students who opt to take the course for academic credit must pay an extra $135 credit recording fee.

Course text:

Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees
Malcom T. Sanford and Richard E. Bonney, Storey Publishing 2010
ISBN 978-1-60342-550-6 (pbl.: alk. Paper)
ISBN 978-1-60342-551-3 (hardcover : alkpaper)

Other materials will be provided in class as needed.