Save the Date: BC Native Bee Course 2026
Wed, Jun 10
|Okanagan College - Penticton Campus
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 10-12th. Field trips will occur over the weekend of June 13-14th, and will also be open to who are not in the lab component.
Time & Location
Jun 10, 2026, 9:00 a.m. – Jun 14, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Okanagan College - Penticton Campus, 583 Duncan Ave W PC 256, 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 10-12th, with 15 spots available. Field trips will occur over the weekend of June 13-14th, and will also be open to individuals 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 $600 for NBSBC members. The weekend field session cost is $100 for 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. Some details are subject to change.
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.
Jade Lee - Co-Instructor
Jade Lee is based on Vancouver Island in the Cowichan Valley, she is one of 4 BC instructors for the Master Melittology Program out of Oregon State University, is a journey student in the course herself and is the Administrative Assistant to the Board of the Native Bee Society of BC. Jade has created the Native Bee Genera Profiles available on our website and routinely TA's our Mini Bee Schools.
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, well before the date of the course. Reservations for BC Parks are available up to 3 months ahead of the event.
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, 2026 will receive a full refund, less a $50 administration fee.
Cancellations between May 19 and June 1, 2026 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, 2026
Course subject to minimum enrolment by (Date TBD)