Typically held on Saturdays. Work alongside Butterfly Pavilion beekeeping experts and other beginner beekeepers, developing the skills necessary to achieve thriving beehives. Beekeeping Bootcamp is taught by a qualified beginning beekeeper class instructor through the Colorado State Beekeeping Association (CSBA)!

Email education@butterflies.org if you have any questions

We are planning on hosting our 5-part beekeeping bootcamp classes with hands-on activity in our apiary in 2023! Classes can be purchased separately or as a package.

Beekeeping Bootcamp is sold out! Sign-ups for the course in 2024 will be available in December.

2023 Class dates are:

December 3rd: Virtual Beekeeping Bootcamp Informational Session 10am-11am

January 21st: Beekeeping Basics - 10am-1pm (SOLD OUT)

April 22nd: Package Installation - 10am-1pm

June 10th: Mid-Season Management and maladies - 10am-1pm

August 12th: Honey Extraction - 10am-1pm

September 30th: Preparing for Winter - 10am-1pm

How it Works

The Beekeeping Bootcamp series is comprised of 5 three-hour workshops throughout the year taught by Butterfly Pavilion Target Species Manager and knowledgeable beekeeper, Lorna McCallister. You may either take the full series or select single sessions of your choice.

Workshops include instruction and information in the classroom, followed by hands-on practice and observation in the apiary. Workshops will not include hives and beekeeping supplies, but will provide informational materials and what knowledge on where to get supplies from.

Pricing

Full Series (includes all five workshops)

Member: $150

Non-member: $165

Sign up a friend or partner and the additional cost for that ONE person is just $50 for members and $75 for non-members!

Single Workshop

Member: $35

Non-member: $40

2023 Workshop Topics

Workshop 1: Beekeeping Basics 

Interested in starting a hive? In this session, we’re covering the basics! We will delve into honey bee biology and beekeeping history, learn what equipment is needed, discuss optimal hive locations and gain more practical advice for a crash course that will get you ready for the season.

Workshop 2: Package Installation and Early Season Management  (SOLD OUT)

Let’s get these bees settled in! In this session we will cover the practical aspects of getting your hive set up – from acquiring and transporting packages, to installation, to handling. Experience the excitement as we learn together.

Workshop 3: Mid-season Management and Maladies 

How are we looking? In this mid-season session, we will check in to see how to manage challenges that come up over the season. Do you need to add room or split a colony? How do you check for swarming or identify a parasite problem? We will discuss all kinds of potential issues that can come up and get to the ‘bottom board’ of how to recognize and solve it.

Workshop 4: Honey Extraction 

How sweet it is! This workshop will focus all on honey: how to extract and how much to remove, what to use, how to process it, and of course – how it tastes!

Workshop 5: Preparing for Winter

As you’ve successfully seen your bees over the warm season, it’s time to hunker down and get ready for the frost. We will close out our series by determining all the ways to keep your bees warm, safe and healthy over the cold months.

Meet our Bee Expert

Lorna McCallister is a biologist from Tampa, Florida. She studied wildlife biology at the University of Florida, with a minor in Entomology. She also completed her Master's degree at the University of Florida with a thesis focused on insect and avian pollinator communities in southern Africa. She learned beekeeping through course at UF, the Tampa Bay Beekeepers Association, and interning with the Elephants and Bees Project in Sri Lanka and Kenya. Lorna is now the Target Species Manager at Butterfly Pavilion, where she works on pollinator and invertebrate research and manages Butterfly Pavilion's honey bee hives.

Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to make it to a class, you will still be able to receive all of the class materials. If you purchase the entire course and desire a refund, cancellations with at least 3 business days’ notice will be charged a 10% processing fee, and the remainder of the cost will be refunded to the customer.

No refunds are given for classes missed.

A full refund will be given to the customer if the Butterfly Pavilion cancels a workshop for any reason.

Questions? Ask at education@butterflies.org