MENTORING APIARY CLASS SCHEDULE 2020The best way to learn successful beekeeping skills is through hands-on mentoring from experienced beekeepers. Without beekeeping mentorship, new beekeepers often experience avoidable challenges resulting in colony death. The University of Minnesota Bee Squad’s Mentoring Apiary Program provides invaluable learning opportunities for beekeepers of all experience levels.

Gloveless beekeeping: One of the core tenets of the Bee Squad’s beekeeping philosophy is to enter colonies without wearing gloves. This allows the beekeeper to have the dexterity and sensory feedback to handle frames and bee boxes in a way that minimizes harm and disruption to the bees. For the safety of all students and instructors, we require that all participants do not wear gloves in our teaching apiaries. We believe that the ability to manage a hive of honey bees calmly and confidently under a wide range of conditions is one of the most important skills gained from our program. Please feel free to contact us with questions prior to registration or attending class!

The UMN Bee Squad is offering an array of exciting, hands-on beekeeping classes in 2020. We offer classes for beginning and experienced beekeepers in both the classroom and apiary.

z.umn.edu/mentoringapiaryREGISTER ONLINE

z.umn.edu/mentoringapiaryREGISTER ONLINE

SUCCESSFUL BEEKEEPER SERIES

INTRO TO BEEKEEPING SERIES

We will begin with the fundamentals of hive inspection and learn to identify the key components of a healthy hive: • Productive, healthy queen • Healthy bees in all stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, adults) • Ample food resources (pollen and nectar)We will follow colonies through the season and learn to: • Read the signs of a growing colony to prevent swarms and anticipate the honey flow • Check for bacterial, viral, and fungal disease • Measure Varroa mite levels and make a mite management plan • Prepare colonies to successfully survive the winter

Each class will begin with instruction and discussion in theclassroom, followed by hands-on training in the apiary.

Are you new to beekeeping?Please join us for a series of 7 monthly classes that will cover your first year of beekeeping. This series is ideal for people who have taken a beekeeping course and want hands-on experience before acquiring their own bees and for new beekeepers who want to learn about colony management throughout the beekeeping season.

Class requirements:• Have taken Beekeeping in Northern Climates Year 1 (or another basic beekeeping class)• Wear your own protective equipment (veil or bee jacket)• Participants must be 18 years or older to enter the apiary• Willing to learn gloveless beekeeping

Class location:University of Minnesota Bee Lab1634 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108

Pricing structure:Seven 1.5 hour classes for $175.00

• One Thursday per month• 3:30-5:00 pm• April 9, May 7, June 11, July 9, August 6, September 10, October 8

• One Saturday per month• 9:30-11:00 am• April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10

SECTION 1 SECTION 2

This series of 7 classes covers the management of hives in their 2nd year and beyond. We willreview the fundamentals of hive inspection and delve deeper into topics such as: • Assessing the strength of overwintered colonies • Performing spring divides • Evaluating queens and deciding when and how to re-queen • Sustainable apiary growth • Understanding the relationship between apiary location and pest management • Varroa mite population dynamics and management strategies

• One Thursday per month• 3:00-5:00 pm• April 9, May 7, June 11, July 9, August 6, September 10, October 8

SECTION 1 SECTION 2

• One Saturday per month• 9:00-11:00 am• April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10

Class requirements:• Have taken Beekeeping in Northern Climates (preferably Year 1 and Year 2)• Kept bees for at least one season• Wear your own protective equipment (veil or bee jacket)• Participants must be 18 years or older to enter the apiary• Willing to learn gloveless beekeeping

Class location:Mentoring Apiary2096 Roselawn Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55113(near the Golf Course Turf Management Center)

Pricing structure:Seven 2 hour classes for $200.00

BUZZPASS

We are offering one-hour drop-in classes at the St. Paul Mentoring Apiary. These hands-on classes will allow us to focus on the seasonal needs of hives in Minnesota. When you purchase a Buzz Pass, you can choose classes to take based on issues you are facing in your own hives, questions you may have, or curiosity about specific topics. After signing up for a Buzz Pass, you will receive updates about the focus of upcoming classes. We encourage students to take multiple classes throughout the season!

BUZZ PASS DROP-IN CLASSESWould you like to improve your beekeeping skills or learn more about specific topics?

January Learning from Sentinel Apiary data February Planning your beekeeping year March Preparing & caring for beekeeping equipment Colony autopsy: “Why Did My Bees Die?” April Introduction to Gloveless Beekeeping Checking overwintered colonies Preparing for spring divides Hiving new packages

May Dividing overwintered colonies Introducing new queens Anticipating supersedures and swarms Caring for new packages, nucs, and splits Mite management for overwintered hives

June Preventing swarms Identifying brood diseases Testing for mites with powdered sugar roll Planning mite management for the whole apiary Catching the nectar flow

July Managing large hives to prevent swarms Moving colonies Assessing colony health

August Summer mite management for 1st & 2nd year hives Identifying and preventing robbing Pulling honey Evaluating queens and apiary stocks September Fall mite management for 1st & 2nd year hives Feeding and combining colonies for winter survival October Late fall mite management Preparing hives for winter November Assessing your apiary and planning ahead

Class locations: Mentoring Apiary 2096 Roselawn Ave W, St. Paul MN 55113

University of Minnesota Bee Lab 1634 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108

Noerenberg Mentoring Apiary 2840 North Shore Drive, Orono, MN 55356

Pricing structure: • Single class pass for $17

• Buy 5 passes, get 1 free for $85

• Buy 10 passes, get 2 free for $170 (plus a free Mite Kit or Bee Squad t-shirt!)

Class requirements: • Have taken Beekeeping in Northern Climates Year 1 (or another basic beekeeping class) • OR are currently keeping bees • Wear your own protective equipment (veil or bee jacket) • Participants must be 18 years or older to enter the apiary • Willing to learn gloveless beekeeping

Follow us on Facebook for updates: facebook.com/MentoringApiary

Class topics will vary depending on the needs of the bees and the season, but will likely include:

LOCATION DAY TIME

Mondays

Thursdays

Saturdays

4:30- 5:30 pm

6:00- 7:00 pm

10:00- 11:00 am

*Location dependent on weather and topic

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CANCELLATION POLICY

LOCATIONS

Buzz Passes will not be refunded, but the passes are redeemable during the season that they are purchased, as well as the following season. Intro to Beekeeping, The Successful Beekeeper, and The Beekeeper Scientist will be refunded if cancelled 2 weeks prior to the first week of class.

Classes will be held rain or shine. If the weather prevents work in the apiary, we will move to the classroom in the Bee Lab for a presentation and discussion.

$

There is no public parking at the Bee Lab. Please use paid parking at a metered spot on Folwell Avenue or Gortner Avenue, or in the Gortner Avenue Parking Ramp

Bee Lab1634 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul MN, 55113

REGISTER ONLINE

• More information about each class can be found on our website.• Please follow the registration links to register for each class.• Online registration only. • In-person registration will not be accepted without prior notification.

Mentoring Apiary 2096 Roselawn Avenue W, St. Paul MN, 55113(near the Golf Course Turf Management Center)Free parking is available in the Turf Management Center parking lot. Please remember that there are no bathrooms at this location!

Noerenberg Mentoring Apiary2840 North Shore Drive, Orono, MN 55356(across from the Noerenberg Memorial Gardens)Free parking is available on the gravel road leading to the apiary. Please note that there are no bathrooms at this location!

Rochester Mentoring Apiary701 Silver Creek Road NE, Rochester, MN 55906(at the Quarry Hill Nature Center)

? Please contact the Bee SquadBeeSquad@umn.edu612-624-8989beelab.umn.edu

QUESTIONS

z.umn.edu/mentoringapiary

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