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Beetopia New Zealand - "All things Bees" is located just outside of Matakana, at 158 Omaha Flats Road where onsite you will find:

Our beekeeping supplies showroom

Ability to purchase equipment including everything you need to get setup as a new beekeeper (bees, hiveware, suits, tools etc.) or to grow your existing apiary. Order placement to secure bees from our local bee breeder

The Beetopia Apiary and classroom training facility

Accommodation options - for overnight stays at our "Bee & Bee" for anyone who may be travelling from out of town.

Our next beginners courses will be held from September 2019 with a local beekeeper. The course provides the basics required for hive management at an introductory level and includes:

bee recognition (distinction between worker / nurse / drone / queen bees )
distinction between honey / nectar / capped honey
the all important "life cycle of the bee"
understanding how to use bee hive equipment
advice on how to register your beehives and mandatory requirements for beekeepers in New Zealand
Hands-on-lesson in hives

The courses run in small numbers with a total of 5 students per course. We believe this adds value giving attendees plenty of hands on time in the hives and the ability to ask one on one

questions with our instructor.

2019 beginner’s beekeeping course dates

As my courses are weather dependant and spring in Aotearoa is notoriously unpredictable, therefore bear in mind please if the weather is wet and/or too windy we cannot open the hives and therefore are obliged to postpone course dates.

Courses are held on Saturday mornings from 9 am - 12.30 noon in Matakana. Tea & Coffee & Honey drinks provided during morning break. Honey Tasting and Equipment overview at end of course.

Protective Beekeeping Clothing & Gloves provided

Cost per person $150 plus GST

Payment required before commencing the course.

Payment details provided upon confirming course date.

Beginner Beekeeping Course Dates

September 28th

October 5th - 19th - 26th

November 9th -16th - 23rd -30th

December 7th 14th

January 18th - 25th

February 1st - 15th - 22nd - 29th

March 14th -28th

Stockroom

Beekeeping protective clothing for adults and children all sizes
Beekeeping gloves all sizes
Smokers
Hive tools
Nuc boxes
Frame holders
Top feeders
Wooden frames
Plastic frames
Wax foundation full depth & three quarters
Supers
Supers full depth
Hive mats / lids / bases
Queen excluders - plastic / metal
Queen catchers
Queen marking pens
Queen rearing equipment
Honey extraction equipment
Bees for sale

The Worker

My daughter Michelle is a budding beekeeper and often helps me in our apiaries plus she’s great at taking meticulous notes on what’s happening in each hive and updating our apiary agenda after each inspection. Michelle also helps out in Beetopia’s beekeeping supplies store and holds beeswax wrap courses - in fact her Maori line of wax wraps are very popular. Her 4 year old son Perry Paolo is our youngest and most enthusiastic beekeeper and honey consumer!

The Worker

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MORE INTERESTING STUFF

As courses are weather dependent and spring in Aotearoa is notoriously unpredictable, please bear in mind if the weather is wet and/or too windy we cannot open the hives and therefore might be obliged to postpone course dates.

Our half day courses are held on Sunday mornings from 8.30am am - 12.30/ noon in Matakana. Tea & Coffee & Honey drinks and scrumptious snacks provided during morning break. Honey Tasting and Equipment overview at the end of the course.

Protective Beekeeping Clothing & Gloves provided. Cost per person $250pp

2025/2026 Dates

September 7th -21st -28th

October 5th -19th

November 2nd - 16th - 30th

December 7th - 14th

January 11th (Disease Recognition)

February 8th - 15th

March 1st -15th

Payment required before commencing the course.Payment details provided upon confirming the course date.

2025/6 Beginner’s beekeeping courses

$250.00

GST Included

Quantity

Payment required before commencing the course.Payment details provided upon confirming the course date.

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2025/6 Beginner’s beekeeping courses

Pre-Payment Required