The first of its kind, the Certified Beeologist program is offered to anyone who wants to learn more about bees, their interactions, habitat, life cycles, anatomy, diagnosing problems and treating them, flowers & trees that benefit bees, clean water habits, other pollinators and more. Certified Beeologist not only gain knowledge that is useful to them, but it also provides valuable, science based & environmentally friendly information and encourages citizens and equips our communities with information such as:

• Educating youth about the importance of bees and pollinators in general

• Environmentally sustainable gardening & farming practices to help minimize negative effects on pollinators.

• Improving habitat and communities with flower and tree planting programs.

• Improving and sustaining our food sources that are maintained by the help of pollinators.

• Providing classes, outreach program, printed materials and maintaining a website to help provide access to this vital information.

• Equipping citizens with the knowledge to teach others about bees and pollinators.

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Being a part of the Beeologist program only requires two things; The willingness and interest to learn about bees and the ability to meet the volunteer requirements. Students must attend all required courses and:

 

Must have 10 volunteer hours and 5 education hours their first year and every year thereafter to keep the certification current.

 

all studends must attend the annual continued education program (Bee Con-ed) in order to maintain their status as a Certified Beeologist.

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Education hours are earned through attending educational events. These events can be webinars, conferences, lectures, classes or any other event where the topic is related to bees or pollinators in general.

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Volunteer hours are earned by either formally teaching others about bees/pollinators or by doing any physical volunteering with a qualified non-profit organization or educational event.

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Volunteer hours are tracked and recorded online, by each student, as part of their continued certification. Recording hours will occur on this website. Reporting instructions will be provided before your course is complete.

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Students are encouraged to maintain a public pollinator garden, teach or speak at events, interact with youth and more. Remember: All volunteer hours must be earned with a non-profit entity. A pollinaotr garden or other project at a business or residence does not qualify.

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Certified Beeologist FAQ

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Question: Who teaches these classes?

Answer: Each instructor comes from a background related to each topic. Some may be entomologists, horticulturalists, Beekeepers, Commercial growers, etc.

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Question: What credentials do these instructors have?

Answer: To become a qualified instructor, you must have a minimum of 7 years working in the field or educational setting, directly related to the topic you are presenting. (i.e. our beekeeping courses are taught by a Master Beekeeper, etc.)

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Question: How long does the course take to complete?

Answer: This course can be completed over a 3 months period, generally meeting once a week.

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Question: How much does the course costs?

Answer: Depening on when courses are held prices can vary. Please check back when registration is announced.

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Question: Where are the classes held?

Answer: In our classroom at our store in downtown Galesburg, MI

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Question: Are your classes offered online?

Answer: Not yet, but we are working on it.

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Question: Are all the classes in the classroom?

Answer: No, but most are, due to the course being offered mostly in the winter. The last class or two and the final will be held outdoors, in the bee yards.

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Question: How many people can register?

Answer: Several different offerings of the classes will be available and each class will seat 12 students in classroom style seating (chair and desk).

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Question: How long are the classes?

Answer: Generally they lasts 2-4 hours long, with breaks.

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Question: What days are they held on?

Answer: Classes are offered on a rotation between a weekday at night and a weekend in the afternoon. Some classes may have to occur at a different time to allow access to hives before dark or if weather prohibits entery into the hives.

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