# University of Florida Bee College March 4th and 5th Whitney Lab, St. Augustine, FL



## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Please join us for the 2016 University of Florida Bee College March 4th and 5th at Whitney Lab, (Marineland) St. Augustine, FL
Bee College is the most extensive educational honey bee event in the state of Florida, and now Bee College has expanded to two more annual events! Everyone is welcome to attend Bee College: beekeepers, naturalists, farmers, gardeners, county agents, and anyone interested in honey bees! This two-day event offers lectures in the morning and hands-on workshops in the afternoon. There are llive honey bee colonies on site for open hive demonstrations and protective gear for everyone. This event won’t leave you hungry either, we serve morning and afternoon snacks, lunch both days, a full banquet dinner on Friday evening and an ice cream social following the Awards Ceremony. At the Awards Ceremony we announce students who have entered or advanced in the Master Beekeeper Program, Welsh Honey Judges, and the place winners and Best of Show in the UF Bee College Honey Show, as well as give out door prizes. Bee College is simply the best time you could have learning about honey bees! We hope that you and your family decide to join us for this fun-filled weekend. 
9505 Ocean Shore Blvd., St. Augustine, FL. 32080
During Bee College there are seven or eight different classes that run over six periods during the day. This totals over 50 courses that you could take at the college. 

Beginner Topics: There is a beginner track, listed in orange on the schedule. It is repeated both days, so that if you come only Friday or only Saturday you can attend these crucial courses. If you attend the whole event, then it gives you the opportunity to fulfill the beginner track over two days and still attend other interesting classes that may coincide with the track.

Advanced Topics: These topics will satisfy repeat Bee College attendees and those with more beekeeping experience. We have courses that cover bee breeding, crop pollination, advanced bee pathogens, varroa control, pesticide/pollinator interactions, and more. 

Hands-on: We host a number of courses in a workshop-like setting where you gain experience building equipment, extracting honey, making splits, and marking queens. We have 10 colonies on site for open hive demonstrations all day long. Suits, smokers, and tools, are available to use.

Hobbyists and Craft Lovers: We have fun DIY classes like wax rendering, candle making, honey exhibitions, and lip balm and salve making. 

Something for Everyone: We try to create the classes so that they are directed toward either beginners or advanced beekeepers but can accommodate anyone interested in the subject. We also have timely keynote addresses given by some of the world's leaders in honey bee research, advocacy and literature. 

Jr. Bee College: Jr. Bee College is nested within the UF Bee College and is held all day Saturday of Bee College. It is open to children ages six - sixteen, as well as educators, teachers, and parents. To enroll, each particpant will need to regsiter for Bee College, (for children, select the discount ticket or the family pass) and then check the "Jr. Bee College" sign-up on the registration page. Bee College is a full day of entomology and beekeeping curriculum taught by UF Entomology Youth and Outreach Coordinator, Dr. Rebecca Baldwin, with the help of other trained educators. The kids will learn everything from basic entomology and bee biology to practical beekeeping through hands-on, fun, interactive, games and lesson plans. They will even get to suit up and see a real bee hive up-close at the end of the day. What a wonderful way to foster a lifetime of love for science and beekeeping. Please consider signing up your children or neighbors today! For parents who want to attend Bee College, this is a great way to bring your kids and teens, so that you both get to take the courses you like. There will be at least two adult supervisors at all times. Jr. Bee College chaperones the children 8 am to 4 pm, and even takes them to break time and and lunch. 

Honey Show

Please visit our Honey Show and Welsh Honey Judge page for more information about the UF Bee College Honey Show!

http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/honeybee/extension/bee_college.shtml


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Hurry and Get Your Ticket Today!!!
The most extensive educational honey bee event in the state of Florida is upon us! Members of the University of Florida's Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory are pleased to announce the 9th annual University of Florida Bee College. The two-day event offers classes for beekeepers of all ages and experience levels, gardeners, naturalists, county agents, and anyone else interested in honey bees. You do not have to keep bees to attend; the only prerequisite is your interest in the subject! Even if you have attended a UF Bee College before, we are sure that you will find new knowledge that you will hold for a lifetime.. 
Schedule
The University of Florida Bee College has a robust schedule that includes over 50 courses on topics from Bee Biology to Mead Making, Varroa Biology to Live Bee Removal and more. There is a beginner track outlined on the schedule. There are informative lecture-style classes as well as hands-on courses and live hives for teaching and demonstration. 
Each Bee College participant receives 
a goody bag, lapel pin, and a full printed program of
all lecture material. 
Lunch and refreshments are included as well as dinner, ice cream awards and a door prize raffle on Friday evening. There will also be a 21-Class Welsh Honey Show, where you can win prizes for honey, mead, art and more.


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