Queen rearing course – members only
Practical • Hands-On
This course is aimed at small-scale beekeeper ready to take their skills to the next level? Would you like to breed your own strong, healthy queens and improve the performance of your colonies?
This two-day, practical course is designed exactly for you – focused on methods that work perfectly for smaller apiaries, no large-scale equipment or complex setups required.
What you’ll learn
The course covers every key step in clear, easy-to-follow detail:
- how to select the best parent stock for strong, productive, disease-resistant queens
- grafting techniques and the Miller method – two reliable approaches suitable for all small beekeepers
- raising queen cells successfully within a queen-right colony (no need to break up your best hives)
- how to prepare, set up and use apideas – ideal for rearing and mating queens on a small scale
- safe distribution and placement of queen cells to maximise success
- a complete queen rearing timetable – so you know exactly what to do, and when
What you’ll take away
Not just knowledge – you will leave with your own apidea, containing a queen cell! With care, this should develop into a mated, laying queen within just a few weeks – ready to add to your colonies or share with others.
Course details
- Duration: 2 full days (early July – exact dates agreed with participants)
- Format: First run is a Train-the-Trainers course – limited to only 4–5 places. Participants should be happy to help support future courses and share skills with other beekeepers.
- Location: Burton Constable Hall grounds
- Cost: Approx. £35 – only covers expenses, no profit made
- Who can join: Beekeepers with some existing experience – ideally you have passed your Basic assessment, or have equivalent practical knowledge.
How to apply
This is a unique opportunity to learn, practice, and help build skills across the beekeeping community.
📧 Contact Patrick at: education@beverleybeekeepers.co.uk
Tell us a little about your beekeeping experience and why you’d like to join – places are limited, so get in touch soon!
Build better bees, strengthen your colonies, and help others do the same.