MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Area beekeepers can expand their knowledge of the bee business at a beekeeping short course scheduled for June 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Mississippi State University campus.

Workshop topics include fall and winter management, parasitic mites, diseases and pests of honey bees, area honey plants and honey flows, and swarm management. Bee enthusiasts also will learn about starting and developing productive colonies, re-queening colonies, dividing colonies, and sampling for mites and diseases.

The afternoon will include a field trip to a local bee yard where attendees will learn hands-on how to work and manage a beehive.

The course will be held in the MSU’s Clay Lyle Entomology Building. The $10 fee includes refreshments during breaks and educational handouts. Early registration is recommended, but attendees may register at the door from 8 to 8:30 a.m.

The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce are sponsoring the event. Specialists from the MSU Extension Service will also take part in the course.

Participants are asked to bring a bee suit. Those who do not have a bee suit should contact the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology prior to the event, and a bee suit will be provided.

Contact Clarence Collison at (662) 325-2085 or Harry Fulton at (662) 325-3390 to register or for more information.

Writer: Courtney Coufal