- Canadian Owned and Operated since 2010
Keep bees that thrive through Canadian winters
Online courses, hands-on field days and a mentoring community, led by Master Beekeeper Eliese Watson.
Level One graduates
Hours of field video
Free video guides
Enroll any time
Everything your bees need, from one beekeeper you trust
Learn online, practise in the field, buy local bees and ask questions all season.
Online courses
Four courses, all self-paced, all built around the four seasons of beekeeping in Canada.
See all courses
Up to 12 hives with a Master Beekeeper. 2027 dates in spring.
5-frame colonies. Orders open in January.
Ask mentors and members anything about bees.
Associations and local groups in every province.
BC
AB
SK
MB
ON
QC
Atlantic
A hive grows one box at a time. So does a beekeeper.
Start at the bottom with the basics and add a box as your skills grow. Pick a box to see what it covers.
New and second-year beekeepers
Level One Beekeeping Certificate
The full foundation, season by season: biology, equipment, feeding, inspections, harvest, wintering and disease.
- 50+ instructional videos across 10 modules
- Self-paced, with 1 year of access and a student community
- More than 500 students have successfully completed certificate
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More ways to learn
Master Academy speakers, the Beekeeping Basics and Level One bundles, and every other course on our learning platform.
4-Season Beekeeping Training
This month in your hive
Pick a month on the wheel to see what to do in the apiary, with a free guide for each one.
- Check wraps after wind storms.
- Let condensation escape at the top.
- Plan next season’s equipment.
Shop the apiary
Local bees for spring, and the tools and books Eliese uses in her own hives.
Local pickup for nucs in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton
Gear we use in our own apiary, every season
Questions? Call (403) 244-4770
Free, every week
Guides from the field
Short videos with written guides, filmed in our own apiary and released through the season.
Showing the latest 4 guides
Master Beekeeper
Owner since 2010
Connecting Beekeepers Through Captivating Education
ABC Bees founder Eliese Watson brings unmatched expertise, captivating energy, and passionate advocacy to beekeepers across North America. Her Level One Beekeeping Certificate is post-secondary accredited at both Olds Agricultural College and NAIT.
Her Master Academy webinars have been praised by Dr. Tom Seeley, author of Honey Bee Democracy, and Michael Bush, author of The Practical Beekeeper.
Questions, answered
Can’t find yours? Call (403) 244-4770 or email contact@abcbees.ca.
How do I start beekeeping in Canada?
Learn over winter, register as a beekeeper with your province, order bees by late winter, and install them in spring. Most provinces require registration, and our regulations guide covers each one. Beekeeping Basics ($99) walks you through the whole first year.
How long does the Level One certificate take?
About 50 hours across 10 modules and 50+ videos. It's self-paced with one year of access, so most students study over winter and finish before their bees arrive. It costs $475, or two payments of $250.
Is the Level One certificate accredited?
Yes. Our Level One Beekeeping Certificate is post-secondary accredited at both Olds Agricultural College and NAIT. More than 500 students have successfully completed certificate.
When can I buy bees from ABC Bees?
Nuc orders open in January for June pickup in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton. A five-frame nuc is $395. Join the waitlist to hear the day orders open.
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Your first season starts this winter
Get a short video tip every week, plus field day dates and nuc orders the day they open.
Almost there: check your email and click the link to confirm your sign-up.