About this course

Protect your honey bee colonies from pests and diseases

Healthy honey bee colonies are essential for successful beekeeping. This online course will help you recognise, monitor and manage pests and diseases that can affect your bees, giving you the knowledge to support colony health and improve your beekeeping practices.

You’ll learn how to:

  • recognise common pests and diseases that affect honey bee colonies
  • monitor colonies for signs of pests and disease
  • understand how pests and diseases can affect colony health
  • interpreting the Australian Honey Bee Biosecurity Code of Practice
  • applying biosecurity principles and practices to an apiary site and honeybee colonies
  • identifying and applying the compulsory monitoring and recording requirements of the Code of Practice.

This is an approved bee pest and disease management course. Completing it meets the biosecurity training obligations for beekeepers under Section 9.2a of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice.

Is this course right for me?

Before registering, consider whether this course suits your beekeeping experience and goals. It is designed for beekeepers who want to improve their knowledge of honey bee pests and diseases and learn how to manage their impact on colonies. As the course is delivered online, you’ll need access to a computer or laptop and a reliable internet connection, as well as the ability to complete online learning activities. If you want to strengthen your biosecurity practices and help keep your honey bee colonies healthy, click on the register now button.

At a glance:

Course duration: Self-Paced
Start date: Enrol anytime
Number of units: 1
Indicative fees: $417 GST Free
Accredited Course: Yes

  • 5 Tutorials
  • 7 Assessments
  • Evaluation and declaration

$417 GST Free

  • Participants will have online access to the AgGuide Healthy Bees as an eBook.
  • This course is delivered online with email access to a trainer

Participants must:

  • Be actively keeping bees, preparing to establish an apiary, or seeking to fulfill mandatory Australian beekeeping biosecurity obligations.
  • Have access to a computer or laptop with a reliable internet connection to access the online learning portal.
  • Be comfortable navigating online learning environments, completing self-paced digital activities, and reviewing biosecurity documentation.

Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Capability Requirements

To complete this course successfully, participants will need:

  • Reading: Interpreting the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice, statutory biosecurity guidelines, pest/disease identification guides, and state reporting legislation.
  • Writing: Maintaining mandatory biosecurity logbooks, completing hive inspection records, recording pest/disease monitoring results, and drafting site biosecurity plans.
  • Numeracy: Calculating barrier management ratios, tracking inspection dates and frequencies, calculating pest infestation rates (e.g., sugar shake/alcohol wash counts), and maintaining stock movement records.
  • Oral Communication & Hearing: Communicating effectively with state biosecurity officers, reporting notifiable pests/diseases to relevant authorities, and engaging with local beekeeping networks.
  • Digital Literacy: Navigating online learning management systems, downloading statutory documents, and maintaining digital biosecurity compliance records.

This course has been mapped to the following national units of competency:



Additional Information

For information on students rights and responsibilities, and the Tocal College Code of Practice see Industry qualification student policies.



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