Beekeeping: Field Training

The Beekeeping Field Training session took place on 25 May, organised by AgroB and led by one of our trainers, beekeeper and entrepreneur Tiago Moreira.

The visit began at the Bee Prado premises, where students were introduced to the equipment beekeeping requires and to the honey processing chain, giving them a clearer picture of how every stage works, from the arrival of the honey frames to the dispatch of the product for sale.

Once the tour of the Bee Prado premises was over, the students moved on to the first apiary, having first been kitted out in protective equipment and shown how to use it properly, under the trainer's supervision.

At this apiary they were introduced to a number of concepts about how colonies work and the practical operations involved in maintaining them. Here the trainees had the chance to take part in queen rearing, among other operations.

With the general apiary management work done, it was time for the lunch break, where everyone recharged and shared experiences and contacts, strengthening the bond within the group still further.

To round off the visit, in the early afternoon the students headed to the second apiary. Here, as well as practising how to spot queens, they were able to watch and take part in a number of practical operations, namely colony splitting, queen introduction, varroa monitoring tests and honey harvesting.

And so the Beekeeping Field Training came to an end. At the close of the visit the group gathered for one last conversation, well away from the bees, to reflect on the day and cement the bonds built over the course of the training.

Figure: the Beekeeping Field Training group

If you were unable to join this field session and beekeeping interests you, take a look at our Beekeeping course.

You can also learn at your own pace with the tutorial courses on Colony Reproduction and Multiplication Techniques and Managing and Running Colonies Through the Year.