October bee weekend 2019

Join us at the sanctuary for a transformational bee weekend, with back to back native bee and honey bee courses featuring Dr Tim Heard, Steven Hayes, special guests and previous course participants. Camping is available at Little Star Bee Sanctuary.

You are welcome to attend 1 day or both days. 

October 19th - A Day of Native Bees with Dr Tim Heard

In this workshop, scientists and educator Dr Tim Heard will teach you the basics of working with and observing native bees. He will entertain and educate you at the same time. This workshop alternates between slide presentations and a practical session to build a strong foundation of knowledge and experience.

The stunning slide presentation will cover the topics of:

• bee nesting biology
• bee foraging biology
• diversity of wild bees
• importance of bees in natural systems
• traditional stingless beekeeping around the world
• modern stingless beekeeping in Australia
• using stingless bees for pollination of gardens and farms
• sugarbag honey and its properties
• rescuing bees threatened in the wild, and more.

In the practical session of this workshop, we will open a hive and observe the amazing structures within. We will divide the hive into two halves showing the process of colony propagation.

October 20th Introduction to Beekeeping Course with Steven Hayes:

Explore the basics of Beekeeping from one of the Mid North Coast’s most experienced Natural Beekeepers.

Join us for a day at the bee sanctuary with Steven and his family, including honey extraction and tasting, an intimate bee experience and learning materials.

• Beekeeping on the mid north coast
• Understanding the intimate life of a Honeybee
• Biology of the Honeybee
• The Importance of Natural Comb
• Getting Set-Up for Beekeeping: Buying bees, hives & equipment
• Site and Forage Assessment
• Forms required for keeping bees
• Situating beehives in urban areas – backyards & rooftops
• Handling bees gently and confidently
• Ensuring the ongoing health of your colony
• Pests & Diseases
• Swarming
• Raw honey & comb harvesting techniques
• Products of the hive
• Honey appreciation
• Planting a Bee-friendly garden

About the presenters

Dr Tim Heard is an entomologist, ex-CSIRO research scientist, and also a long term stingless bee keeper and promoter of native bees. Tim completed his university doctoral studies on using these bees for crop pollination. He has since published 60 research papers and popular articles on bees and pollination. He transferred his first hive from a cut down tree into a wooden box in 1985 and now manages hundreds of hives of three species around south east Queensland, obtained by rescuing threatened wild hives and dividing existing hives. He has developed new hive designs that allow for easy propagation and sustainable extraction of honey, without harming the colony. He has presented workshops and seminars for more than 20 years on bees in general and keeping stingless bees in particular. He is the author of The Australian Native Bee Book (best seller and multi award winner). 

Steven Hayes has been a beekeeper for over a decade refining his philosophy and practices to now developing natural beekeeping principles and education strategies for the future of the beekeeping industry. He is a passionate advocate for all things bee and has a special flair in engaging people of all ages in his quest to raise the profile of bees in Australia and plan for the future of our agricultural and food industry. 

Cost $350 includes:

• 2 x Full day workshops
• Camping
• "Bee" inspired nutritious lunch, dinner and breakfast (dinner and breakfast camping only)
• Tea and coffee
• A copy of The Australian Native Bee Book (by Dr Tim Heard) (Day 1)
• A copy of Nature's Gifts by Athol, Scaidra and Glen Craig (Day 2)

Day 1 without camping + lunch/ morning tea only $160

Day 2 without camping + lunch/ morning tea only $160

Location: Little star bee sanctuary - Missabotti NSW 2449

Details around the weekend will be sent out around 1 week prior.