Apiary Worker / Beekeeper

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Career Profiles APIARY WORKER / BEEKEEPER An apiary worker, often called a beekeeper, manages colonies of honeybees for the production of honey as well as pollination services. WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES WILL I HAVE? • Maintain colonies of healthy bees for pollination and production of honey • Ensure sufficient food reserves WHAT EDUCATION & TRAINING IS REQUIRED? • Construct hives and replace combs A high school diploma will suffice; consider an • Collect and package any hive products including honey, beeswax and pollen Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in entomology or biology • Make decisions on yards, treatment, splits, honey harvesting and all other beekeeping decisions • Build and manage queen rearing operations THE FOLLOWING HIGH SCHOOL COURSES • Ensure breeding yards are kept at optimal level of production ARE RECOMMENDED... • Maintain strict control over diseases and pests • Identify and report hive health concerns Agricultural education, biology, mathematics, natural • Market honey products to consumers or distributors (in smaller work resources, horticulture, Spanish settings) • Prepare colonies for both production and wintering during season changes TYPICAL EMPLOYERS • Wear and maintain protective clothing and gear Large companies that produce honey products, small • Train other beekeepers on your team honey producers, or you may be self-employed • Participate in ongoing R&D trials • Clean and maintain beekeeping equipment • Keep colony records FUTURE JOB MARKET/OUTLOOK Poor Good Excellent SUGGESTED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & ASSOCIATIONS • American Beekeeping Federation • American Honey Producers Association • State & local Beekeepers Associations AVERAGE ANNUAL FULL-TIME SALARY $35,000.

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