Taster Day
24 May 2026 An event that welcomes potential beekeepers to experience bees close up. Delivered by our experienced beekeepers, it is an opportunity to realise the suitability of keeping bees, the activities will include:
• equipment required • manipulating hives • handling a frame of live bees •
• terminology • bee activities • costs •
Please contact our secretary for cost and booking details.
Introduction to Beekeeping
Once a year, throughout spring and finishing in early summer, we run our comprehensive Introduction to Beekeeping which follows the BBKA (British Beekeepers Association) Basic syllabus and aims to instil confidence and knowledge in new beekeepers in order for them to keep happy and healthy bees.
The course begins with an introductory session delivered in The Castle Centre in Barnstaple and thereafter at our apiary, ‘Horestone’, which provides a perfect facility to educate and experience the art of beekeeping over an 8 week period. The additional honey extraction session is delivered later in the beekeeping season.
Our tutors are all qualified, experienced and knowledgeable beekeepers; we aim for students to undertake a comprehensive understanding of honeybees, manipulate a range of equipment, experience handling bees in their hives, weather permitting, as well as experience the craft of working hive products.
The cost of the course is £180 which includes full membership of NDBKA, insurance for upto 3 colonies and also covers the BBKA Basic Assessment fee should you wish to sit the assessment after 12 months of beekeeping.
This is our anticipated schedule, as always, some activities will be determined by the weather therefore a degree of flexibility is required.
| Session | Date | Basic summary of content |
| 1 | Thursday 12th March | Honey bee basic biology |
| 2 | Sunday 22nd March | Forage & siting apiary/hives |
| 3 | Sunday 29th March | Pests & diseases – by Jack |
| 4 | Sunday 26th April | Swarming & Transporting bees |
| 5 | Sunday 10th May | Obtaining your bees & bee/apiary hygiene |
| 6 | Sunday 17th May | Hive & Stand construction |
| 7 | Sunday 7, 14, 28 June | Beekeeping Year Part 1 |
| 8 | Sunday 7, 14, 28 June | Beekeeping Year Part 2 |
| 9 | Sunday 5, 12,19 July | Honey extraction, labelling, selling etc |
To reserve a place for our 2026 course, we do ask for a £25 deposit via a BACs payment so as to secure your place.
Please contact our secretary for further information.
Basic Assessment
Each year we encourage and support members to sit the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) basic assessment test. Devised for those who have managed a colony of bees for at least one year, the ‘Basic’ rationale is to equip new beekeepers with a measure of their achievement and understanding of the craft of keeping bees, an acknowledgement of the basic skills acquired and necessary.
North Devon Bees offer a practice/revision session to candidates with support from one of our learned members.
Applications close on the 30th June yearly. For further details, please contact our secretary.
Microscopy NEW
Due to increased interest in bee life and to help broaden knowledge, a microscopy session has been introduced. This group meets once a month throughout the year (weather permitting) to examine pollen, bee disease and bee anatomy.
Should you like to join the group, our secretary will further any interest expressed.