The half-day session begins with an in-depth theory section covering the bee year, giving participants an understanding of the seasonal cycle of a honey bee colony. There is plenty of opportunity to ask questions before we move on to our safety briefing and, finally, into the apiary for some hands-on experience with the bees.

We were delighted by the number of questions from our enthusiastic participants. With such a large group, we included a couple of refreshment breaks, which were very much appreciated!

Once in the apiary, participants had the opportunity to see the bees at work and learn about the different types of cells within the hive. We looked at the queen, workers and drones, as well as eggs, larvae, capped brood and honey stores. We also explored how the hive components fit together and how the colony is managed.

Being able to see everything we had discussed during the theory session brought the learning to life and really helped consolidate the knowledge gained from our outdoor classroom.

Of course, there were plenty of photo opportunities! Thanks to Jo, our Training Lead, everyone had the opportunity to hold a frame of bees and capture their experience on their own phones — a wonderful memento of the day.

Thankfully, the weather stayed mostly dry, apart from a brief shower, and it was lovely to have a slightly cooler day for our apiary session.

Following the Taster Day, participants receive an email containing further information about membership, beekeeping courses and our events calendar, allowing them to continue their journey into the world of beekeeping.

As always, a huge thank you to all our dedicated volunteers who gave their time and support to make the day such a success.

🐝Interested in joining us for a Taster Day? Click here for more information.