Beekeeping Courses at Thorne Beehives
Our beekeeping courses will take place at our Head Office in Rand, Lincolnshire and will be hosted by Stewart Spinks of Norfolk Honey Company.
Having started beekeeping in the 1980s, Stewart has a wealth of beekeeping experience to share and his passion for beekeeping is only equalled by his desire to help new beekeepers make the most from their pastime and enjoy the pleasure of this fabulous hobby.
In 2026 we will be offering a range of courses from Beekeeping for Beginners through to Queen Rearing.
Beginners Course
The one day beginners course is aimed at the novice beekeeper with no experience, or someone who feels they need to revisit the basics.
The Beginners course costs just £135.
£25 deposit to be paid, and the balance will be taken two weeks before the course starts.
Price includes lunch and a £10 voucher to use in our shop. The course will run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
Dates:
- Friday 8th May 2026
- Saturday 9th May 2026
- Friday 15th May 2026
- Saturday 16th May 2026
Day includes:
- A short session in the classroom to introduce the day
- Out into the apiary (weather dependant)
- Final Q&A in classroom
- Chance to look around the shop/factory
- Follow up mentoring
Subjects covered include:
- Hive types and selecting the right hive
- Smoker use
- A basic inspection
- Spotting the queen
- Understanding Pests and Disease
- Signs of swarming and how to detect them
- Planning your year
- Buying a nucleus colony
- Installing a nucleus colony
Next Steps Course
This course will be an introduction to swarm management and honey production - aimed at beekeepers entering their 1st or 2nd full year of beekeeping or anyone who would like a refresher.
The cost will be £155. The course will be on Thursday 21st May and run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
The Next Steps course costs just £155.
£25 deposit to be paid, and the balance will be taken two weeks before the course starts.
Price includes lunch and a £10 voucher to use in our shop. The course will run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
Dates:
- Thursday 21st May 2026
An Introduction to Swarm Control
This will be a beginner and intermediate level understanding of swarming and how to work with your bees to manage this challenging period of the season. An in depth look at the processes of swarm management and a range of techniques that can help beekeepers better manage their colonies during the swarming phase of the season.
The cost will be £155. The course will be on Thursday 28th May and run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
The Swarm Control course costs just £155.
£25 deposit to be paid, and the balance will be taken two weeks before the course starts.
Price includes lunch and a £10 voucher to use in our shop. The course will run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
Dates:
- Thursday 28th May 2026
Queen Rearing Basics
On this course you will learn about producing queens from your own colonies. Selection methods, techniques and timetabling the various steps required. Some simple methods of queen rearing that beginner beekeepers should be able to use to develop their own queens even if they only have one hive. Including Artificial Swarms, simple splits, Miller method, Alley method, parent colony selection, starter colonies, finisher colonies, mating nucs and more.
The cost will be £155. The course will be on Wednesday 27th May and run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
The Queen Rearing Basics course costs just £155.
£25 deposit to be paid, and the balance will be taken two weeks before the course starts.
Price includes lunch and a £10 voucher to use in our shop. The course will run from 10am to 4pm, with a break for lunch.
Dates:
- Wednesday 27th May 2026