🐝YCBA Mentorship

Mentee Guidelines

Eligibility

Mentees must be current YCBA members and have attended the YCBA bee school (or a comparable beginner beekeeping course) before applying for a mentor.

Respecting Your Mentor

YCBA mentors are volunteers who generously share their time, knowledge, and resources without compensation. A little appreciation and consideration goes a long way. Please come prepared for each visit—have your equipment ready and your bee yard accessible before your mentor arrives. Take the initiative to learn on your own between sessions; doing your own homework is key to successful beekeeping.

Recommended Reading

We encourage every mentee to read several well-regarded beekeeping books. Some suggestions include:

  • Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley
  • The Beekeeper's Handbook by Diana Sammataro & Alphonse Avitabile (5th Edition)
  • The Beekeeper's Bible by Richard Jones
  • The Backyard Beekeeper by Kim Flottum
  • Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping by Dewey M. Caron & Lawrence John Connor

Online Resources

There is a wealth of reliable information available online. We recommend the University of Florida's Honey Bee Research Lab and Randy Oliver's Scientific Beekeeping website as excellent starting points. YCBA also offers Q&A sessions during monthly club meetings.

Stay Engaged

Even with a dedicated mentor, we encourage you to seek advice from other experienced beekeepers at meetings and workshops. Building a support network broader than one person will strengthen your skills and long-term success. Keep in mind that different beekeepers may use different techniques and still achieve great results.

Be Proactive

Work on your hives in a continuous, timely manner based on your mentor's suggestions. Don't wait for your mentor to be present before taking action on routine tasks.

Visit Your Mentor

If invited, visiting your mentor's bee yard is a great way to learn. You can lend a hand with general tasks and gain hands-on experience working with your mentor's colonies.

Questions or Concerns

If your mentoring relationship isn't working well, please reach out to the mentorship program coordinator so we can help find a better match.