Discover the fascinating hobby of beekeeping! Join us for a seven-week interactive, online Zoom course, presented by experienced beekeepers from Knox-Lincoln County Beekeepers (KLCB) and Maine’s State Bee Inspector, who will provide basic information to get you started as a beekeeper. This course is designed for first and second year beekeepers.

Honeybees play a vital role in the pollination of our fruits and vegetables. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about one third of our diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, with honeybees responsible for more than 80% of that pollination. Whether you have an interest in becoming a backyard beekeeper for your gardening passion, wish to consider keeping hives for a honey crop, or simply desire to learn more about the fascinating community of honeybees, attending a local bee school will provide you with a basic foundation to get started.

Beekeeping basics, equipment needs, seasonal management, honeybee diseases and pest management will be presented. You will learn about what is needed to care for these incredibly important insects, and meet other community members who share your interest in beekeeping. If COVID-19 transmissions and positivity rates decrease significantly in the spring, we may be able to have one or two face to face classes prior to the end of the course or at a later date in the summer.

Classes will be held online via Zoom on consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Participants are required to attend a free prerequisite session titled “So You THINK You Want To Be A Beekeeper?” on Feb. 16.

Bee School will officially begin Feb. 23 and continue through April 6. Presentations will be interspersed with prerecorded demonstrations and breakout rooms. Abundant time will be allowed for questions and answers. The course fee is $60, which includes a textbook, emailed handouts and a pro-rated yearly membership to KLCB. Visit us at www.klcbee.com for more information and to register for the 2022 Bee School.

If you have further questions concerning the course, please contact Jane Dunstan at 586-6800 or rmllamas1@gmail.com