Beekeeping in Northern Climates Short Course

When: Yearly in March (March 7-8, 2009)
Where: St. Paul campus, University of Minnesota
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Photo of 2006 course attendees
This 2 day course provides all the information necessary to keep bees in cold climates. We take you through two years of beekeeping; purchasing and assembling equipment, ordering bees and queens, hiving packages, ensuring colony survival through winter, dividing colonies in the spring, and producing, harvesting, extracting, bottling, and selling honey. We also cover the important basics of disease and mite management and control, emphasizing a reduction in chemical use within bee hives. The course is geared for beginning beekeepers; however experienced beekeepers seeking current information are more than welcome.

Successful Queen Rearing Short Course

When: July 10-12, 2009
Where: St. Paul Campus, University of Minnesota
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Why not rear your own queens? The University of Minnesota Queen Rearing short course teaches one method of rearing queens that works consistently for both hobby and commercial beekeepers. Topics covered include queen and drone biology, timing of queen rearing in northern climates, stock selection and breeding for hygienic behavior, setting up mating yards, and record keeping. Everyone will have a chance to try their hand at grafting larvae and raising their own queens. A unique feature of the course is the section on queen rearing equipment designs that will allow you to build your own!
*Enrollment limited to 32 people.

Bee Management: Entomology 4022

This is a 3-week, entirely hands-on course, in which all students learn to handle and manage honey bees and bumblebees. The course is open to the public, but requires registering for one credit through the University of Minnesota. See Academic Courses.