🐝   For the Love of Bees!   🐝
Intro to Beekeeping Classes
The For the Love of Bees series includes four information-packed intro to beekeeping classes, each timed to give new and future beekeepers exactly what they need, when they need it. Every session delivers practical guidance, hands-on tips, and real-world advice to support you throughout your beekeeping journey.

Use the tabs below to explore class dates, location, registration options, and content overview.
  • When
  • Where
  • Pricing
  • Overview
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Dates and Times:

Classes are offered on the following Saturdays from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm:

Class 1:  Saturday, April 18, 2026
Class 2:  Saturday, July 18, 2026
Class 3:  Saturday, October 17, 2026
Class 4:  Saturday, January 23, 2027

Location:

TBD

​Location will likely be Highland Springs High School or Fairfield Middle School.  
Location will be confirmed at least one month before the first class.
​Pricing options:
Option 1
​All four classes + book
​$120
​*price will increase to $132 after March 15
Option 2
​One class + book
​$50
Option 3
​One class ​(no book)
​$30
All options include ERBA membership for one year (a $10 value)
Textbook used: latest edition of Beekeeping for Dummies
Additional participants:
Your registration allows one beekeeping partner to attend with you at no extra charge, with one set of materials to share.
Financial assistance:
Need-based scholarships may be available. Contact us for details.
Tuition waivers are also available for registered Hives for Heroes participants.

What you will learn:

This series is designed to guide new and growing beekeepers through the essential skills and seasonal tasks involved in keeping healthy honey bee colonies. The classes follow the natural rhythm of a beekeeping year and are perfect whether you're exploring beekeeping for the future or already have bees and want to feel more confident. Each session offers practical knowledge you can apply right away or plan for with confidence.
Class 1:
  • Bee anatomy & physiology
  • Types and parts of a hive
  • Obtaining and installing bees
  • ​Inspecting the hive
  • Bee pests & diseases
  • Beekeeping throughout the year
  • Hands-on demonstrations
Class 2:
  • Review from previous class
  • Animal husbandry
  • Bee pests/diseases and how to treat for them
  • Swarming and how to prevent it
  • Hands-on hive inspections
  • ​Early ​winter prep
  • ​Honey harvesting and wax rendering​
Class 3:
  • Last-minute winter prep
  • Late-season animal husbandry
  • Optimal colony configuration
  • All about the queen
  • ​​Winter tasks for beekeepers
  • Hands-on demonstrations
Class 4:
  • Your first year in review
  • Post-winter animal husbandry
  • Early spring inspections; evaluating dead-outs
  • Prepping for swarms; creating splits and resource colonies (Nucs)
  • Pollinator gardening
  • Hands-on demonstrations
How to register:
Sign up by completing the online or paper form below.  Email us at [email protected] with any questions.
Online registration form:
Paper registration form:
Download and complete the form below, then return it with payment to ERBA’s mailing address or bring it to an upcoming monthly meeting -
Registration Form (fillable PDF)
File Size: 529 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Registration Form (Word)
File Size: 5488 kb
File Type: docx
Download File