Beginners Course 2026

The Beginners course always proves to be very popular and will run through March/April 2026 at the Pitcairngreen Village Hall.

Cost for the course is £50.00, this fee includes your first years membership of the Perth & District Beekeepers Association. There is also an additional charge of £45.00 per household which is for your 2026 membership for the Scottish Beekeepers Association (see note 1 below)

The course will be run over four weeks of theory followed by two hands-on sessions at our training apiary.

The dates and times for our 2026 course are:-

Wednesday’s 11th, 18th, 25th March and 1st April.

Course times are:- Doors open 6.45pm, presentation 7pm-9pm

If you think you can make these dates then you can apply now.

To book your place on the Beginners Course and become a member, please send an email to Martin Smith Secretary of the Association. The course is very quickly booked up, so early booking is recommended info@perthanddistrictbeekeepers.co.uk

Course outline below:

FIRST SESSION
So you want to be a bee keeper: general responsibilities, hive location, costs to set up
The Honey Bee: Castes – differences, types of bees, annual cycle
SECOND SESSION
Inside the Hive: Bee Space, Hive Types, Components/Frame building, how bees use the hive
Protective Clothing & Tools
THIRD SESSION
Working with Bees: Inspections, What is normal, Record Cards
The Swarm: The biology of swarming, Swarm prevention, Swarm control
FORTH SESSION
Pests and Diseases: Pests, Brood Disease, Disease of Adults, Notifiable Diseases – Plan of Action
Biosecurity and Environmental problems
THE FUTURE
Planning for bees: Sourcing bees and gaining hands-on experience
Mentors and support

Note 1

Your Scottish Beekeepers Association Household membership includes membership for 1 person (additional adults can be added at a cost of £23.00)
Insurance (Public & Product Liability) and compensation.
”The Scottish Beekeeper”, 10 monthly magazines covering everything about bees and beekeeping.
The Moir Library, access to one of the world foremost libraries on bees and beekeeping.
Advice alerts on all bee matters including bee health.
Education, access to practical and formal courses focused on improving beekeeping in Scotland.
Marketing and Publicity, information on food safety, pricing and advertising access to an eco-conscious audience.
Informative website with many free resources to download.
And much more.