Beekeeping Field Days
Grab your hive tool and join us in Missoula, Montana for a field day experience of a lifetime! We're thrilled to offer varying in person experiences for tenacious and dedicated beekeepers from around the region, the country, and the globe. Stay tuned for the latest offerings!
Summer 2026: Pollinator Protectors Camp
We're excited to offer our first summer experience for kids: Pollinator Protectors Camp!
This unique introductory academic camp invites campers to discover the amazing world of pollinators and their impact on our environment. While no prior knowledge is needed, campers must be comfortable around live insects, especially bees, respectful of their space, and be able to follow instructor and staff guidance to ensure the safety of all participants and animals.
This camp will take place in Missoula, Montana from July 20th - 24th, 2026 and is open to kids in 6th grade through 8th grade.
Field Days: Small-Scale Queen Breeding
Unlock the secrets of successful small-scale queen breeding with our exclusive course in Missoula, Montana! The course has a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on practice in the apiary. Join expert bee researchers and professional queen breeders as they guide you through essential topics like breeder queen selection criteria, effective cell builder instruction, and advanced grafting techniques. Learn to monitor and treat nosema to ensure the health of your queens.
This hands-on training offers you invaluable practical experience, empowering you to elevate your queen-rearing skills and produce high-quality queens. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your beekeeping journey. Join us at UM and take your queen breeding to the next level!
There is no formal prerequisite to attend this short course. However, we will be teaching intermediate level topics. To gain the most benefit from the course, students should possess the skill level to overwinter their own bees. This short course is not required for the Master Beekeeping Pathway, nor can it be used toward the requirements for its completion.
Participants are responsible for all transportation, lodging, and personal safety equipment (bee suit, gloves, etc.). You will need a vehicle to travel between the classroom and field site.
Unfortunately, this program will not be offered in 2026. Stay tuned for next year!
Field Days: Beginning Beekeeping Camp
Designed for new and aspiring beekeepers, this hands-on camp goes beyond the basics to build real-world beekeeping skills. Over two days, participants will dive into colony dynamics, queen introduction techniques, and effective hive management through expert-led instruction and immersive labs. Unique to this program are interactive challenges like the Hive Puzzle Lab, where students tackle real beekeeping scenarios to sharpen their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. With a strong focus on practical experience, freestyle colony manipulation, and varroa mite management, this camp equips students with the confidence and knowledge to start their beekeeping journey successfully.
There is no formal prerequisite to attend this short course. To gain the most benefit from the course, students should possess an interest in beekeeping or perhaps have started to keep bees. This short course is not required for the Master Beekeeping Pathway, nor can it be used toward the requirements for it.
Participants are responsible for all transportation and lodging. If you do not own a bee suit, a limited number are available to borrow. A detailed schedule and list of necessary items will be provided to registrants closer to the event.
Unfortunately, this program will not be offered in 2026. Stay tuned for next year!