Beekeeping has many benefits and potential. Online courses would help those who are looking forward to starting their beekeeping journey. These courses are not only for beginners but also for those who want to learn more in-depth details of beekeeping. It is also great for those who wish to take courses at their pace. This article will discuss the different types of online classes that you can take.
If you’re in a rush here today and need to stick to a budget? Then, for $27, check out Discover Beekeeping by Nick Winters. This course includes 5 additional eBooks on topics such as organic gardening, honey extraction and the nutritional benefits of honey. All are iPad compatible. Check it out here.
For what I consider is the gold standard resource for learning beekeeping online, the obvious recommendation is Natural Beekeeping by Phillip Chandler. Phillip takes a unique approach of keeping bees for their own sake, rather than simply for the products of their labour.
Of course, we also appreciate what they do for us and if there is a surplus of honey, we will be pleased to have some for ourselves.
Phillip Chandler
I highly recommend opting for the Expert option that includes tuition from Phillip Chandler himself! Check it out here.
Table of Contents
Mastering Gardening for Wildlife
Ok let’s start things off with a slightly unusual choice. Mastering gardening for wildlife is a course that focuses on how you can make your garden the best possible environment for wildlife to thrive. After all Honey is only as good as the nectar it is made from!
The course is run by Andy McIndoe, with 30 years experience as a practical horticulturist and consultant. He has designed and advised on gardens of all sizes and was responsible for the Hillier Gold Medal winning exhibit at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower for 25 years.A regular contributor to magazines, newspapers and BBC Radio, Andy lectures widely at home and abroad.
Why I recommend this course
There’s so much to learn about beekeeping and one major part that is often overlooked by beginners and intermediates alike is learning about which plants and flowers help cultivate a healthy beehive. Taking this course will lay a strong foundation for aspiring beekeepers and gardeners who want to encourage local wildlife by creating beautiful gardens! Check it out here.
n.b. This course would work well in combination with Natural Beekeeping by Phillip Chandler.
Pros:
- A great resource for learning about plants and flowers for producing the best nectar
- A complimentary course for Natural Beekeeping
- Provides a strong foundation for aspiring beekeepers and gardeners alike
Cons:
- Not exclusively about bees
Mastering Natural Beekeeping
This is my goto course when anyone asks me to recommend an online learning resource for an easy introduction into the wonderful world of beekeeping. Mastering Natural Beekeeping is run by Phillip Chandler. His clear and steady
If you’re in a rush and want what I consider is the gold standard resource for learning beekeeping online. Then the obvious recommendation is Natural Beekeeping by Phillip Chandler. Phillip takes a unique approach of keeping bees for their own sake, rather than simply for the products of their labour.
Why I recommend this course
For there are a bunch of reasons to go with Phillips course. Some of the things that stand out above the rest are the active community that comes with the learning from experts platform. You’ll find that the experts (Phillip included) are actively engaging with the community by regularly posting articles and answering questions.
Not to mention you get 10% off when signing up for your first course! I highly recommend opting for the Expert option that includes personal tuition from Phillip Chandler himself! Check it out here.
Pros:
- A fantastic well rounded course with 4 assignments included
- Work is reviewed by Phillip himself
- Lifetime access to videos, notes & classroom
- Start course whenever you like
- Certificate of completion from Philip Chandler
Cons:
- None
On a budget?
If fancy a lot of beekeeping information packed into an affordable package and don’t need the structure approach of the courses mentioned above. Then Discover Beekeeping – Beekeeping made easy, may be the course you’re looking for!
At the jaw dropping price of $27 you’ll get instant access to:
- Beekeeping 101: 109 pages of step by step, how-to content.
- The Organic Gardener: A natural gardening bible.
- How to Extract Honey: Manual and Automatic methods of extracting honey from the hive.
- The Nutritional Benefits of Honey: Complete guide on the benefits of honey.
- Bonus eBooks and Beekeeping resources: 3 additional eBooks with over 1100 pages of award winning how-to information.
- iPad Ready Content All components of Beekeeping 101 are 100% iPad compatible!
Why I recommend this course
Quite simply the share volume of information you get for an incredibly low price. If you’re new to beekeeping and want to dip for feet in without too much financial investment then this course is definitely the one for you. Check it out here.
Udemy Courses
Udemy offers a lot of courses, and one of the classes that you can take is beekeeping. They provide beekeeping courses from beginners to professionals. Here are some courses that you may want to take from Udemy.
Background to Beekeeping: Start with Why!
This course offers a two-and-a-half-hour video, one article, and ten downloadable resources that you can use in the future. In this online course, you will learn the benefits of beekeeping. You will also learn the history of beekeeping, the current status of beekeeping, and it explains the different approaches that you may take when starting your beekeeping journey.
This online course created by Thomas Carroll, PhD will give you reasons for how and why you should start beekeeping. This course will also show you how you can benefit personally with beekeeping.
Once you have purchased this course for $59.99, you will have full lifetime access to this video. You can also access it on your mobile or your television. When you have completed this course, you will receive a certificate of completion.
Beekeeping for Beginners: How to Be a Successful Beekeeper!
If you are thinking of starting beekeeping as a hobby or maybe a business, then this is the right video course for you. This course includes 44 lessons and a nine-hour long video. Some of the topics that will be covered in this video are the history of beekeeping, types of hives, and what to expect in your first twelve months.
Tonya Wells created this video so that you can understand the ins and outs of beekeeping. This class includes PowerPoint slides, handouts, and on-site video presentation to help you easily understand the course. No matter what your learning style is, you will be able to learn the course quickly and effectively.
These courses are for people who have trouble looking for these types of classes as well as the people who cannot attend them personally. This lesson will also teach the students on how they manage the hives and inspect them regularly.
You can get this course for $59.99. It includes 11 downloadable resources and one practice test to check your knowledge and understanding. Once you have completed this course, you will receive a certificate of completion.
Queen Bee Breeding for Backyard Beekeeping
Queen Bee Breeding for Backyard Beekeeping is excellent for those who are backyard beekeepers and who would like to move their beekeeping locally. Beekeepers will learn new skills such as how to quickly locate a queen in the colony.
Once you have completed this course, you will learn how to safely take care of the queen bee, able to determine what makes a good queen to breed from, and many more. This video will also teach you on how to successfully raise your queen bees using the Top Bar Hive design.
This two-hour course is taught by Janet Luke, who shares from her own experiences. This course is best for people who would like to save money and build up their hives effectively and efficiently.
You can get this course for $49.99. It includes ten articles and two sources that you can download and full lifetime access to the video using your phone or television. You will also receive a certificate of completion once you have finished the course.
Please note that this course is not ideal for beginners.
Other Online Courses
Introductory Beekeeping Training Program
This course is from the Ohio State Beekeepers Association that was presented by John Grafton and Jim Tew. They also used Backyard Beekeeping by Dr. James E. Tew for their reference. It is a FREE online video course for people who are interested in starting beekeeping.
It includes 34 videos, and in each video, there are a few questions to check your knowledge. It also contains three PowerPoint Presentations that you can use for reference. The course will teach you from assembling hive equipment to transferring bees.
By the end of this course, you will be able to start your backyard or local beekeeping quickly. It will also teach you commercials and the dynamics of pollination. Introductory Beekeeping Training Program will be available anytime for those who would like to use it as references.
Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping Course
Ohio State University created this FREE online course that is based on Dr. Reed Johnson’s for-credit OSU Beekeeping course. It consists of video lectures, handouts, and readings. The Ohio State University Bee Lab has been providing beekeeping information for a long time.
They mainly share their knowledge and information using webinars and publications. The great thing about this course is that volunteers can contribute information that may know that’s not included in the class yet.
Volunteers can also offer suggestions and reviews to make the course even better. The reading can be accessed through iTunes for free. To submit ideas and new knowledge, people would have to register through Ohio State University’s website.
Honey Bee/Animal Husbandry – What and When you do (or don’t do) Matter
This webinar is another great course that Ohio State University has created. This is a FREE webinar that you can access on their website. Alex Zomchek, who is a master beekeeping instructor, presents this course.
The course running time is an hour and seven minutes. It also includes a pdf handout that you can use for future references. This course will talk about honey bee behavioral psychology, bee spacing that you would need to take note of, and the cycle of a bee’s life.
Another great thing about this course is that it is available for beginners and professionals. Just like the course above, volunteers can add suggestions and new information that they may have to make the course better.
The handouts provide charts and information on how beekeepers can handle different bee season. It also tackles the current bee population and how people can help increase the count of bees. The webinar is very thorough, very informative, and easy to understand.
The Perfect Bee
The Perfect Bee is an introductory course that you can take for FREE. In this course, you will learn about the bees, your beehive, and how you can have a healthy beehive. It has 40 lessons where a person can learn an excellent beekeeping foundation.
On the first course, it will introduce you to the fantastic world of honeybees. To be successful in beekeeping, you would first need to learn about the history of the bees. This first course includes three sections, which are The Science of Bees, The Life of Bees, and About Beekeeping.
The second course is all about the beehive. Here, they will introduce you to common types of beehives as well as accessories, tools, and clothing that you may need. This course also includes three sections, they are Beehives and Accessories, Equipment and Clothing, and Starting Your Beehive.
Lastly, the third course will teach you how to keep your beehive healthy. Once you have everything set up, then this is the time that you would need to maintain the health of your bees to any significant threats to your bees.
This is the course the is the best fit for those who want to start their beekeeping career. All you need is an email to sign up with this course.
Online Beekeeping Academy
This is another excellent online course for beginners and professionals. There are six courses to Online Beekeeping Academy from controlling mites to getting through the winter with your bees. It also includes a beginner’s package where you will learn the specifics on how you can start beekeeping.
Their beginner bundle’s price costs $159.00. The package includes three titles, which are Basic Beekeeping, A Day in The Apiary, and Getting Your Bees Through The Winter. You can also get all of their six courses for $269.00.
If you only want to take the single courses, then they would cost $59.00 each. All of these courses are taught by David Burns, who is an EAS Certified Master Beekeeper.
Conclusion
To summarize, Udemy offers a vast of beekeeping courses that you can take whether you are a beginner or a professional. However, Udemy courses come with a price but with significant advantages and benefits. There are also free courses that you can take, such as webinars and podcasts. Taking online classes are great for those who do not have the time to go out and take physical courses. With just a click, you will learn the ins and outs of beekeeping!
Just want to further my beekeeping skills online.
I would suggest Discover Beekeeping by Nick Winters as it is excellent value for money in my opinion. It has enough content for new beekeepers and those progressing. Have a look in the article as there are more comprehensive courses available but naturally the price does increase. The Natural Beekeeping is superb.