Begin Your Journey Into Beekeeping

Introduction to Honey Bee Biology and Apiculture 

Discover the fascinating world of honey bees—their anatomy, life cycle, behaviour, and vital role in our ecosystems. Learn how bees support agriculture and the environment, while gaining practical knowledge of beekeeping fundamentals, equipment, and hive management

Tuition is a one-time fee of $100

This is an open-enrolment course, if you are looking to become a Certified BC Beekeeping Instructor find out more here.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

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    Identify the anatomical structures of the honey bee, including workers, drones, and queens.

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    Identify the main characteristics of the social organization of the honey bees, and the role of each caste.

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    Describe the life cycle of the individuals that conform a honey bee colony.

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    Identify beekeeping equipment and describe their function.

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    Describe the life cycle of a honey bee colony.

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    Recall the ecological and economic importance of honey bees.

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    Describe honey bee behaviours and ways of communicating, including foraging, defense mechanisms, and waggle dance.

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    Describe the main activities of a beekeeping calendar, including spring management, honey production, honey harvest, and overwintering.

What’s inside

Module 1

An introduction to honey bee biology and apiculture.

Module 2

What is a honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Module 3

The structure of a honey bee colony and their members.  

Module 4

The life inside a honey bee colony.   

Module 5

Swarming.    

Module 6

Honey bees communicate.

Module 7

Getting started in beekeeping.

Module 8

The mindful beekeeper: considering wellbeing, native bees, forage, and environment. 

Assessment 

Knowledge will be assessed through a variety of short quizzes. Upon successful completion a Badge certifying completion will be awarded.  

Glossary

Definitions of words used in the science and practice of beekeeping.

Free Sample Course 

Not sure if this course is for you? Try out the content for Free! We've created a Free Sampler course so you can see how the content is delivered and have confidence this course will work for you.

Grounded in Science, Guided by Experience

Our courses are built on scientific research and practical expertise. Developed by our team of scientists and reviewed by professional apiarists—not hobbyists on YouTube—you’ll gain reliable, research-backed knowledge to support healthier bees and more successful hives.

✺ Frequently asked questions ✺

  • The tuition is $100. The money goes directly to the BC Honey Producers’ Association and Technology Transfer Program for investment in further courses and programs to support honey producers in BC.

  • The course is self-paced. Based on our estimations, dedicating 2-3 hours per week typically leads to completion within one month. However, students have four months from the date of enrolment to complete the curriculum

  • Enrolment is open year-round to all individuals, so you can enrol anytime! The course is self-paced with a time frame of four months to complete the curriculum once you enrol.

  • We have created a Free Sampler course that allows you to see how the content is delivered so you can know if this learning is right for you. Try it now

  • No prerequisites or prior education is required. This course is suitable for anyone simply interested in learning more about Bees, beginner Beekeepers and those wishing to advance their knowledge in the industry.

  • Yes, our TTP Lead, Nuria will be available to answer questions about course content. And if you are having technical problems you can email Dan at learningsupport@ttp-bchpa.ca. There are also open class forums to discuss with other students

  • No. This course is for you to learn about honey bees and apiculture for your own purpose. Each module does have a quiz, but it has unlimited attempts. There are also self-knowledge checks throughout the course on what we consider to be important knowledge. Again, these allow unlimited attempts. So in the end, there are no grades, and once you complete the course and the end of course survey, you will receive an electronic badge indicating completion.