Free Course

Beginner Beekeeper Course

Everything you need to survive — and thrive — in your first two years of beekeeping. 20 lessons covering the fundamentals, free forever.

✓How to inspect a hive safely and read what you find
✓Why Varroa destroys colonies and how to stop it
✓Seasonal management from spring buildup to winter prep
✓How to recognize and respond to common diseases

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Course Curriculum

20 lessons · 144 min total

Getting Started

What to Expect in Your First Year of Beekeeping

7 min read

Beekeeping Equipment: What You Actually Need to Get Started

7 min read

Understanding the Honey Bee Colony: A Superorganism

6 min read

Bee Biology 101: Life Cycles, Development, and Why They Matter

7 min read

Hive Inspections

How to Conduct a Hive Inspection: A Frame-by-Frame Walk Through

9 min read

Reading a Brood Frame: The Complete Visual Guide

8 min read

What a Healthy Colony Looks Like: Benchmarks for Every Season

7 min read

Varroa Management

Why Varroa Destructor Is the Primary Cause of Colony Loss

8 min read

Inside the Capped Cell: The Varroa Reproductive Cycle Explained

7 min read

How to Monitor Varroa: Alcohol Wash, Sugar Roll, and Sticky Boards

8 min read

Varroa Treatments: A Beginner's Guide to Your Options

7 min read

Feeding & Nutrition

When and What to Feed Your Bees

6 min read

Stimulative Feeding: How to Trigger Spring Buildup

6 min read

Pollen Substitutes: What They Are and When to Use Them

6 min read

Seasonal Care

Spring Buildup: What to Watch For in March and April

7 min read

Summer Hive Management: Nectar Flows, Congestion, and Staying Ahead

7 min read

Preparing Your Hive for Winter: The Fall Checklist

8 min read

Queen & Brood

Swarm Prevention: Why Colonies Swarm and How to Stay Ahead of It

8 min read

Hive Health & Disease

American Foulbrood: How to Identify It and What to Do

7 min read

Beyond AFB: EFB, Chalkbrood, and Other Hive Health Threats

8 min read