BC Native Bee Course 2025
Wed, Jun 11
|Penticton
BC Native Bee Course and Field Trips are being hosted in Penticton and Okanagan-Similkameen this year! The lab component will take place over 3 days: June 11-13th. Field trips will occur over the weekend of June 14-15th, and will also be open to those who are not in the lab component.
Time & Location
Jun 11, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – Jun 15, 2025, 4:00 p.m.
Penticton , 583 Duncan Ave W, Penticton, BC V2A 8E1, Canada
About the Event
The Native Bee Society of BC is hosting the BC Native Bee Course and Field Trips in Penticton this June.
The lab component will take place over 3 days: June 11-13th, with 15 spots available. Field trips will occur over the weekend of June 14-15th, and will also be open to those who are not in the lab component.
Location: The lab component of each course will take place at Okanagan College in Penticton, BC, and the field component will be hosted at Burnell Lake Rec Site. View on Google Map
Course Fees: The fee for the course is $900. We offer a $300 discount to NBSBC members. The weekend field session costs $250 with a $150 discount to NBSBC Members, and is free for participants of the Master Melittologist program.
A limited number of scholarships will be available to participants with demonstrated financial need. If you would like to request a scholarship, please share your reasoning and how much you are requesting to bcnativebees@gmail.com.
Syllabus: The course syllabus can be found here.
Tickets: Tickets are sold on a first come - first served basis. Please purchase the appropriate ticket. Additional tickets will be made available if currently registered participants cancel their spots, please join the waitlist here.
Course Instructors
Lincoln Best - Lead Instructor
Lincoln leads the Oregon Bee Atlas and Master Melittologist programs in the faculty of Horticulture and through Extension at Oregon State University. He hosts an annual BC Native Bee Course in the southern Okanagan, Canada's bee biodiversity hotspot.
Bonnie Zand - Co-Instructor
Bonnie is based out of the Comox Valley, on Vancouver Island. She works in the intersections of pollinators and agriculture, running an IPM consulting company, Bonnie’s Bugs IPM, and leading the Vancouver Island Pests, Pollinators and Beneficials Project. Bonnie is the BC instructor for the Master Melittoligst program. Bonnie also contributes to pollinator conservation through outreach to garden clubs, bee clubs, and school groups, as well as through her work with the endangered Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterfly.
Accommodations: Course participants are encouraged to camp at OK Falls during the lab component and Burnell Lake during the Field Component of the course. Reservations are recommended for OK Falls.
Bursaries are available for those in need, email bcnativebees@gmail.com.
Cancellation & Refund Policy: To cancel, please email us at bcnativebees@gmail.com with an email titled "Bee School Cancellation - [First and Last Name]".
Cancellations prior to May 19, 2025 will receive a full refund, less a $50 administration fee.
Cancellations between May 19 and June 1, 2025 will be offered a refund (less the $50 administration fee) only in cases where we are able to confirm a wait listed participant to fill your spot.
Refunds will not be administered following June 1, 2025
Tickets
Lab sessions
June 11th-13th OK College- Penticton Room PEC11 Includes day membership with NBSBC for non-members.
From $600.00 to $900.00
Sale ended$900.00
$600.00
Field Sessions
June 14th-15th Includes day membership with NBSBC for non-members. Master Melittologist students: Please register on Canvas for the separate training event.
From $0.00 to $250.00
Sale ended$250.00
$100.00
$0.00