Wednesday, February 8, 7 - 8 pm
Kalamazoo Public Library Downtown
Introduction to Beekeeping
Dr. Larry Connor
Totally free program

Saturday, February 11, 8:30 - 3 pm
Holland Bee School
Maplewood Reformed Church, Holland, Michigan
Beginning Beekeeping
$30 Registration Fee for adults, $12 for ages 12 and younger

Click this link for more information about the Holland Bee School

Saturday, February 18, 9 am - 4:30 pm
Kalamazoo Bee School

Note: Kalamazoo Bee School is full. Please register for Holland (above) or Albion (below)

A) Beginning Beekeeping
B) Intermediate Beekeeping
$45 Registration Fee (includes lunch + $10 in bee bucks to spend)
$35 Registration for additional members of the same household (includes lunch)
Kalamazoo Nature Center

Click this link for more information about the Kalamazoo Bee School

Saturday, February 25, 9 am - 4:30 pm
Albion Bee School
Beginning Beekeeping
$40 Registration Fee (includes lunch + $10 in bee bucks to spend)
$30 Registration for additional members of the same household (includes lunch)
Albion College
Contact David Green, 517-629-0582 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Click this link for more information about the Albion Bee School

March Double Header

Tuesday, March 13, 7 pm
Comstock Community Center
How to Get Started In Beekeeping - For New Beekeepers
Presented by Dr. Larry Connor and Dr. Dewey Caron (see information below)
$5.00 per person at the door, kids 10 and under are free

Thursday, March 15, 7 pm
Comstock Community Center
How To Get The Best Results From Your Hives - For Intermediate Beekeepers
Presented by Dr. Larry Connor and Dr. Dewey Caron (see information below)
$5.00 per person at the door, kids 10 and under are free

Dr. Larry Connor is a Michigan native currently based in Kalamazoo. Dr. Connor is the founder of the Kalamazoo Bee Club.

Dr. Connor earned his Ph.D in Entomology from Michigan State University and then went on to The Ohio State University (Columbus) as apicultural entomologist for the Extension Service there. Dr. Connor helped establish the world's first mass production facility for producing instrumentally inseminated queen honey bees. Later, Dr. Connor moved to Connecticut where he established Beekeeping Education Service, offering educational programs for beekeepers. Dr. Connor is author and publisher of a number of books on beekeeping which he offers through his publishing house, Wicwas Press.

Dr. Connor is a frequent speaker to state, national, and international beekeeping organizations. He is also a regular contributor to Bee Culture magazine and American Bee Journal magazine. He has authored a number of extension publications, series of slides sets, video programs and scientific articles. Dr. Connor has served as editor of the Eastern Apiculture Society Journal, Honey Producer Magazine and Bee Science. His artwork and photography have been awarded prizes in several local art shows. In his spare time, Dr. Connor has appeared in, produced and/or directed some thirty local community theater productions.

Dr. Dewey M. Caron is Emeritus Professor of Entomology and Applied Ecology at the University of Delaware. He earned his Ph.D in Entomology from Cornell University. Dr. Caron is an expert in the areas of apiculture; pollination ecology; honey bee pests, predators and diseases; and honey bee research.

Dr. Caron has served as Chairman of the Board of Eastern Apiculture Society  (EAS); Past President of the Eastern Branch Entomological Society of America; Advisor to the Delaware Beekeepers Association; and is a frequent speaker to state, national, and international beekeeping organizations. Dr. Caron has authored many works on beekeeping. Dr. Caron is currently based in Oregon.

March 13 & 20
WMU Lifelong Learning
Beekeeping Course
Joe Calme

Register online at http://www.wmich.edu/offcampus/lifelong/documents/LLASpring12Catalogv10.pdf .

Tue, April 24, 7 pm
a) Installing packages & nucs
b) Diseases and disorders
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Speaker is Rich Wieske from Green Toe Gardens in Royal Oak, Michigan
Free Program

• Prepping and picking a site for the hive
• Setting up the hive
• Mystery of mysteries: How to get the bees from the package into the hive
• What’s this little box with a cork?
• Various queen release methods
• Psychology of an artificial swarm
• Can I look again tomorrow?
• What about feeding?
• When can I start a nuc?
• Spring diseases and pests
• Summer diseases and pests
• What to look for and what does it mean

Thur, May 24, 7 pm
Increase - Making new hives from your old hives - how and why
Kalamazoo Nature Center
Dr. Larry Connor will be the speaker
Free Program

• Making colonies from the one(s) you have, even in the first year of beekeeping (highly recommended).
• Using increase for new colonies.
• Using increase for backup in case of a queen failure.
• Wintering increase colonies in 4 to 8 frame colonies for next year.
• When and how to make increase
• Where and how to use queens for increase.
• Combining hives