Extension offers course in beekeeping basics
Course held at LR, April 11, 18, and 25
April 6, 2022
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Extension course teaches beekeeping basics
- Course offered in-person, 6-9 p.m. April 11, 18, and 25 at state extension office
(300 words)
(Newsrooms: with filer of Zawislak)
LITTLE ROCK — Beekeeping basics, one of the Cooperative Extension Service’s most requested courses, is being offered in-person this spring. The three-part course teaches beginning beekeepers everything they need to know to get started with honey bees.
Classes will be held in-person on April 11, 18 and 25 from 6-9 p.m. at the Cooperative
Extension Service state office, 2301 S. University Ave., Little Rock.
“There’s no experience necessary,” Jon Zawislak, assistant professor of apiculture and urban entomology with University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said. “This is a perfect course if you have zero experience or if you’re a first-year beekeeper.”
Honey harvested from the hives can be a source of income, and the bees help increase crop yields through pollination. More than 100 crops are pollinated by honey bees, including fruits and vegetables, and forage for dairy and beef cattle.
Zawislak has been teaching the beekeeping short course since 2009 and regularly gets requests from beginning hobbyists. In the course, participants will learn about the structure and function of the beehive, essential tools for beekeeping and learn basic honeybee biology and behaviors. Zawislak also covers colony inspection and pest management.
“We will also cover all the seasonal tasks – harvesting honey, preparing hives for winter, and keeping colonies healthy,” he added.
The cost is $30, and seating is limited. To register, contact the Pulaski County Extension Office at 501-340-6650. For more information about honey bees, visit uaex.uada.edu/bees.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact the Pulaski County Extension Office at 501-340-6650 as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media contact: Tracy Courage
501-671-2126
tcourage@uada.edu