The 4-H Beekeeping Project helps youth learn about bees and how to be a beekeeper. This project offers hands-on experience with keeping a hive, as well as a foundation for learning about bees and nectar before youth obtain their hives.
Objectives
Youth will:
- Learn about important pollinators and their role in the ecosystem
- Understand the role of honeybees in food production
- Gain an understanding of honey bees and the workings of their hives
- Discover how to safely handle and manage bees and hives and understand what equipment a beekeeper needs to in order to do so
- Develop an appreciation for bees and their importance to healthy living
- Learn about wax and honey production and how humans use these products
- Be able to identify plants that attract bees and the importance of pollinator gardens
4-H Beekeeping Curriculum
Available through the Extension office or online.
Level 1 – Learning About Beekeeping Digital Download
Beekeeping can be a lifetime hobby for lifelong learners. This manual, Learning About Beekeeping, introduces bees and beekeeping and is intended to prepare learners to set up their own hive.
Level 2 – Working with Honey Bees Digital Download
This manual, Working with Honey Bees, is for youth who have completed Level 1 and feel ready to start a beehive. Activities in this manual help youth as they acquire a colony and learn how to care for their beehive throughout the year. It also introduces basic beekeeping operations resulting in the production of extracted, chunk or cut comb honey.
Level 3 – Advanced Beekeeping Digital Download
Level 3, Advanced Beekeeping is for a young beekeeper who is experienced and knowledgeable in the basic care of a beehive. This manual includes more detail on some things you have already learned and introduces more advanced beekeeping topics: increasing the number of your honey bee colonies, increasing honey production, producing special kinds of honey, managing disease and more about bee societies.
Beekeeping Facilitator’s Guide
This facilitator’s guide provides guidance and assistance for facilitating a beekeeping project. The curriculum is divided into three manuals with the supporting facilitator’s guide. The 4-H Beekeeping curriculum is for youth who want to learn about bees and beekeeping. Beekeeping offers many hands-on, educational experiences, from learning about bees and nectar to raising bees and producing honey.
Washington 4-H Records, Forms, and Guides
For youth members
Coming soon!
For adult helpers and club leaders
Coming soon!
State 4-H Beekeeping Project Resources
Coming soon!
Helpful Resources
Activity Ideas
Illinois 4-H – Exploring Beekeeping Spark Activity: Leaping Pollen (PDF)
This activity shows how a charged balloon behaves like the charged bee body making pollen leap from a flower.
4-H Essay Contest – Foundation for the Preservation of Honeybees, Inc.
Washington Specific Reference Material
Yakima County 4-H Entomology Project
Apiary Registration – Washington State Department of Agriculture
All beekeepers, backyard or for a business, need to register their hives each year. All money collected helps fund research projects with the Washington State University and other entities.
WSU Honey Bees + Pollinators Program
WSU’s Honey Bee + Pollinators program is pioneering solutions to help save the bees and our global future.
Washington State Beekeepers Association
Beekeeping and Asian Giant Hornet – Washington State Department of Agriculture
Other Reference Material
From 4-H Programs
Honey Bee 4-H Project Book – Florida 4-H
This book was designed to introduce you to one of the most social insects on the planet, the honey bee. Honey bees do more than make delicious honey for us to eat; so come discover for yourself! You don’t have to be a beekeeper to participate. You just need to be curious about honey bees. Follow the “Beeline” through each section on your own or with the help of your leader. Some activities you can do by yourself, but most were made for you to participate with a group of friends.
4-H at Home: Pollinators – National 4-H, Colorado State University Extension (PDF)
Wild Spartans: All About Honey Bees with Ana Heck – Michigan State University Extension 4-H (video)
From Higher Education Institutions
Welcome to the Bee Hive – Honey Bee Extension at Purdue
How to Start Beekeeping – Iowa State University Extension (YouTube playlist)
Two Bees in a Podcast – University of Florida Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab
University of Minnesota Beekeeping Instructional Videos
University of Minnesota Beekeeping Reading List
Pollinator Planting – Michigan State University Extension
Resources related to Varroa and Varroa associated diseases.
Michigan State University Extension Pollinator Champions Course
Become a champion for pollinators. Pollinator Champions is a free, self-paced online course offered by Michigan State University. The course is packed full of videos, articles, and fun activities to guide you through the amazing world of pollinators and pollination.
Is Beekeeping Right for Me? Course – Michigan State University Extension
Have you ever wondered if beekeeping is right for you? This online course provides an introduction to honey bees, covers the time required, physical demands, and financial resources of beekeeping, and suggests ways to help all pollinators.
How Bees Help Make Apples – Michigan State University Extension (video)
How Bees Help Make Pumpkins – Michigan State University Extension (video)
Cabin Fever Conversations: Wild Bees with Kelsey Graham- Michigan State University Extension (video)
Pollinator Stewardship in Orchards- Michigan State University Extension (video)
Getting Started with Beekeeping- Michigan State University Extension (video)
From Related Organizations, Journals, and Professionals
Help! I Need a Queen! (Actually, You Probably Don’t)
Bee Culture: The Magazine of American Beekeeping
Beekeeping Today Podcast – Bee Culture: The Magazine of American Beekeeping
- Beekeeping Article Collection
Special collection of scientific articles on honey bee research from the Journal of Insect Science
Meghan’s Unbeatable “Three Fire” Method for Lighting a Smoker (PDF)
Establishing a Honey Bee Colony: Success in the First Year (PDF)
Swarms: The Biology and Control of Swarms in Northern States (PDF)
Beekeeping Basics: Don’t Be Surprised by Swarms (PDF)
Help! My colony has ants! (PDF)
Diagnosing and Treating American Foulbrood in Honey Bee Colonies (PDF)
Beekeeping Basics: The Greatest Generation: Winter Bees (PDF)
Do My Honey Bees Need a Veterinarian? (PDF)
Beekeeping Basics: Dealing with Deadouts (PDF)
Beekeeping Basics: Drawn Comb is Gold (PDF)
Beekeeping Basics: Getting Good Help (PDF)
Beekeeping Basics: Working with Queen Cells (PDF)
- Kits, Projects, and Activities from National 4-H
National 4-H Entomology and Beekeeping Curriculum Collection
4-H Activity – Pollinators: Bees
You’ve probably seen honey bees buzzing around flowers and know they make honey, but there is so much more to these fuzzy bugs! Get busy making your own craft honey bee while learning about how bees help pollinate.
The 4-H Honey Bee Challenge introduces youth to the critical role that honey bees play in food production as approximately one in every three bites we eat is the result of these pollinators at work.