This micro-credential aims to provide beekeepers with the knowledge and skills necessary to raise and maintain healthy honeybees. Key to this is good animal husbandry and knowledge of pests and diseases of the honeybee. Combining these skills with the ability to follow best practice with respect to monitoring for disease, observing good hygiene, awareness of disease susceptibility and avoiding overstocking pressures, puts the beekeeper in control.

We will also focus on alien species of concern, in particular the Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina. A clear benefit of the micro-credential is increased productivity (under the right weather conditions) which is reflected in the amount of surplus honey available to the beekeeper should they choose to harvest it. Complementary to this, is the ability to select from, and apply a hierarchy of biosecurity measures for disease mitigation.

At the end of the micro-credential, learners will be invited to campus for a practical on the identification of disease with our national honey bee health inspector, Dr. Mary Coffey, DAFM (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine). Amongst other topical issues, here will be an emphasis on the notifiable bacterial diseases, American and European foul brood.

Applicants should be over 21 years.  Candidates must already own at least one hive of bees to be able to complete the Micro credential.