2017 John Gates  'Queen Rearing Course'




John Gates is one of the most respected beekeepers in Western Canada. John’s queen rearing traces back nearly 40 years. Growing under the tutelage of legendary BC Provincial Apiculturist John Corner he helped develop the” BC bee” and  BC’s stock production industry. Working as our province’s Apicultural Specialist he has taught this course and advised queen producers all around British Columbia. In 2016 John taught this course at our farm as well as the Caribbean Beekeepers Congress in Trinidad and Tobago. He has lectured on various beekeeping topics in Canada, the US and New Zealand. Since retiring from the BC Ministry of Agriculture John has been operating his own bee breeding and stock production business. John was also the only beekeeper in Canada to help test the Flow Hive before it's release into the market. His stock itself is always in hot demand.

Date: June 9th (7-9 pm), 10th,11th, 9 am  to 4 pm each day
Instructors: John Gates and Bill Stagg
Place: Sweetacre Apiaries.  Bill and Larissa Stagg,  781 Abbington Lane, Tappen BC  
Cost 300.00 + GST (total $315). Limited to 20 participants

The course will cover:
  • Honey bee nutrition
  • Colony evaluation
  • The biological basis of queen rearing
  • Cell starter and finisher hive preparation and manipulation
  • Grafting
  • Mating nucleus production and maintenance
  • Queen cell care, storage and transportation
  • Cell introduction
  • Queen catching and shipping
  • Using queen cells in your operation (mite control, swarm prevention, increased honey production, colony increase)
 
 
Bring protective clothing.
All participants will graft bee larvae on saturday and observe their success on sunday.


Accommodations-participants are welcome to stay at the Stagg property.  Space is available for a small to moderate RV/5th wheel and a few tents.  Other accommodation can be booked in Salmon Arm or Sorrento.

To Register-send a cheque or money order to:
Bill Stagg
781 Abbington Lane Tappen BC
Write on the cheque “Queen Rearing Course 2017”
On receipt of full course fee, registrations will be confirmed.
Registrations are on a “first come first served” basis.
Don’t delay as historically this course fills quickly.

Lunches not provided, tea and coffee will be present. Saturday evening we will host a pot-luck. We have a large bbq so you can bring something to grill.