01/09/2026
2026 Spring Beginning Beekeeping Course
Landmark Park
430 Landmark Dr, Dothan, AL
Auditorium: Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21
Field Day: March 28
Landmark Park Teaching Apiary
430 Landmark Dr, Dothan, AL
This course is designed to supply a novice beekeeper with all the information you need to take bee colonies from their inception through their first year. Attending the auditorium sessions is free, but for $35, you will get a beekeeping book, all the class handouts, and a year’s membership in the Wiregrass Beekeepers Association.
The four auditorium sessions will be held at the Landmark Park Interpretive Center, 430 Landmark Park Drive, Dothan Alabama. They start at 10 AM and run for about 2 hours. The field session
will start at 10 AM at Landmark Park Teaching Apiary, 430 Landmark Drive, Dothan, AL. People coming to Landmark Park for the beekeeping class can get in for free (but do consider making donations to the park).
You can register on the Wiregrass Beekeepers website (www.wiregrassbeekeepers.com).
Questions? Call Bill Miller at (240)483-2192 or e-mail him at [email protected]
Saturday, Feb. 28 @ 10 AM (auditorium): Welcome to Beekeeping and Equipment Overview: We’ll discuss beekeeping costs, time, and products. We will also go over equipment needs,
sources, and have hands-on equipment assembly. Bring a hammer!
Saturday, March 7 @ 10 AM (auditorium): The Bees and The Colony
The bees in a colony come in three basic types – worker, drone, and queen. We’ll discuss each type’s unique biology, life cycle, and functions. We’ll also discuss how the three types of bees
form a working colony, and how it develops in its first year. We’ll look at some of the things you will see as you examine your colonies.
Saturday, March 14 @ 10 AM (auditorium): Laws, Pests, and Diseases: We’ll cover Alabama registration requirements and common bee pests and diseases.
Saturday, March 21 @ 10 AM (auditorium): The Beekeeper& #39;s Year and Working a Colony: We’ll discuss the beekeeper’s year, what is done when, and demonstrate working a colony
(auditorium session with no bees).
Saturday, March 28 @ 10 AM: Live Colony Field Session at the Landmark Park Teaching Apiary: (Weather permitting - Beekeeping protective gear required!) We will be working with live colonies, so beekeeping protective gear (at least a veil) will be required for all participants. We will meet at Landmark Park outside the Farm Museum then go over to the apiary. We’ll put on protective gear, light smokers, and inspect the hives, emphasizing proper hive working procedure. We’ll evaluate the colonies, find the three types of bees, and probably find a few unwelcome pests. We may even find and catch a swarm.
