Saturday, June 20, 2025 from 8 am – 4:30 pm

Raindate: June 21

Bee Camp is a small group all day (8:00 am – 4:30 pm) full emersion hands on beekeeping experience where you will open, inspect, and analyze bee colonies making note of all critical aspects of the health, functionality, and quality of colonies rating each colony on an A to F scale. After colony inspections appropriate corrective measures for any health, productivity, or developmental issues will be arrived upon and put in place if possible. Small group discussions and demonstration where everyone can see and take part in is a key element of Bee Camp. To make sure every student can be directly involved and has the opportunity to take part in all aspects of the training, the class size will be limited to 12 students per class. I will be demonstrating multiple beekeeping methods and practices and allowing you to apply what has been taught in the teaching hives set up on my 17-acre property, plus nearby out yards. The topics we will cover are as follows:

• Reading the comb – What you can determine about the colony status (good and bad) from what is directly before your eyes.

• Marking queens - Students will practice on drones

• Making a nuc split

• Queen cell installation

• Applying a beeswax coating to plastic foundation

• Installing new frames into a functioning colony

• Supering for a honey crop

• Using Queen excluders – How, when, and why

• Shake testing honey frames for extraction

• Paper merging bees

• Sugar roll and alcohol wash mite assessment. Done by small groups of students.

• Mixing (on electric stove in the honey house) and applying oxalic acid dribble and oxalic acid saturation pads in the field.

• Treating with oxalic acid vapor - field demonstration instructor only.

• Treating with Apiguard and formic acid pads - Field demonstration, and hands-on with appropriate colonies.

• Pulling, uncapping, and extracting honey  

Small group discussions will take place at the morning and afternoon refreshment breaks and during and after lunch. I will provide the best well water in Bucks County and lemon-lime Gator Aid. You will need to bring your own food, and additional beverages plus a comfortable lawn chair.

Please note:  In order for me to hold a Bee Camp a minimum of 8 students must register.  If that minimum cannot be achieved and you have signed up for the class, you will receive a full refund.