AN introductory course for anyone interested in bee-keeping starts in Malton next week.

With one evening a week over just six weeks Malton and District Beekeepers’ Association (MDBKA) can teach you all you need to know to start beekeeping and reap the benefits. The course starts on Friday, February 16 in Old Malton War Memorial Hall and runs from 7-9pm.

A spokesperson for MDBKA said: "This introductory course is aimed at complete beginners and is followed up with exceptional support from experienced beekeepers to help you through the early stages. From building a hive, acquiring a colony of bees through to extracting your first harvest, ready help is always available.

"Within this highly practical course, there is a wealth of information on protecting these invaluable pollinators from a wide variety of challenges. Chief amongst these is the ingress of the Asian Hornet. Several sightings were recorded in the UK last summer and were rapidly dealt with the specialist team from FERA. However, the rate at which they have spread through Europe suggests that the problem is likely to grow and we, as beekeepers, will be key in monitoring and combatting this threat."

To learn more, please contact the Association's Secretary, Lea-Ann Brierley via lea-annbrierley233@outlook.com.

The cost of the course is £50 (free to Under 16s) and includes membership of MDBKA for the year.

Malton and District Beekeepers Association is part of Yorkshire Beekeepers Association Regd. Charity No. 509743