Wake County Beekeepers Association

Want to learn more about becoming a beekeeper?

The WCBA will be hosting a beginner bee school on Wednesday nights, February 1 through March 22, 2023.  Classes will be from 7puntil 9pm and will be held at the Wake County Commons Building at 4011 Carya Drive, just off Poole Dr near the Raleigh Beltline.  

Proceeds from this class will benefit the NCSU Apiculture Program for the endowed professorship program through the NC State Beekeepers Association.

Cost: $75

REGISTER

What’s included: 

• Annual membership to the WCBA.  Membership benefits include monthly educational meetings, fellowship with other beekeepers, participation in the club mentoring program including assignment to an area mentor, and free use of club-owned beekeeping equipment such as honey extractors.
  
• Bound student manual to accompany class lectures
  
• Beverages and snacks provided during class
  
• Club T-shirt or hat based on current available stock - may not have all sizes needed
  

What’s NOT included:

• Class Text The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammatoro and Alphonse Avitabile, 5th edition.  This book is recommended to be purchased by all students.  Lectures and out-of-class assignments will reference materials in this text.
  
• Membership in the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association.  Membership in the NCSBA is required to test for Certified Beekeeper.  Testing and participation in certification is voluntary. (See NCSBA website for complete info on the benefits of certification).

Class Itinerary

• Week 1- Honey Bee Basics with Chris Hagwood - Chris is a Journeyman Beekeeper certified by the NC State Beekeeper's Association and has been keeping bees since 2015 and currently manages over 50 colonies of bees in the Garner area.
  
• Week 2 - Honey Bee Anatomy and Communication with Gordon Goeking - Gordon has been a member of WCBA since 2008.  He attended the January 2009 WCBA Bee School and installed my first 3 beehives in March 2009.  He is a Journeyman and working on his Master Beekeeper level.
  
• Week 3 - Beekeeping Basics with Dick Orander - Dick is a Certified Beekeeper and has been keeping bees for 6 years.  Dick serves as a mentor for the WCBA and assists new beekeepers in their first and second year of beekeeping.
  Plus History of Beekeeping with Cary Orange - Cary is a Certified Beekeeper and has been keeping bees for 2 years.  Cary uses in-hive sensors to monitor his bee colonies
  
• Week 4 - Basic Colony Management plus Foraging and Botany with Cary Orange
  
• Week 5 - Diseases and Pests with Gordon Goeking and Tony Gaddis - Tony has been keeping bees off and on for the past 10 years.  Tony keeps most of his bees at a farm in rural NC.
  
• Week 6 - First Year Problem Solving including Colony Swarming and Queen Rearing  with Katie Webber - Katie is a Certified Beekeeper with 3 years of experience.  She loves to catch swarms!
  
• Week 7 - Seasonal Colony Management and Products of the HIve with Rick Bordeaux - Rick is a Certified Beekeeper and has been keeping bees since 2009.  Rick serves the WCBA as a mentor to new beekeepers and he keeps one to three hives of bees at his home in Raleigh.
  
• Week 8 - The NCSBA and the Master Beekeeper Program with Susan Benton.  If time allows we will administer the Certified Beekeeper written test.  The written test is also available throughout the year and may need to be provided at a later date if Week 8 is needed to finish the class materials.