Know your enemies. Protect your bees.
£29
Varroa alone can collapse a colony if you’re not on top of it. And that’s before you factor in wasps, wax moth, Asian hornets, and the dozen other threats lurking around your apiary. This module shows you what to watch for and exactly how to deal with it.
- 17 detailed video lessons covering varroa, pests, and predators
- Step-by-step treatment options and application techniques for every situation
- Practical guidance on recognising threats before they become disasters
Pests and parasites aren’t something you deal with once and forget. With the right knowledge, you can stay vigilant all year round.
This module is part of the The 14-Day Beekeeper (£149). Only buy this individual module if you’re specifically interested in this subject, without the context of the full course.
Why Buy This Module?
Most colony losses are preventable. The beekeepers who avoid them aren’t lucky—they’re informed.
- You’ll stay ahead of varroa. It’s the number one killer of honeybee colonies in the UK. This module teaches you how to estimate your varroa load, choose the right treatment for the season, and apply it correctly so it actually works.
- You’ll recognise threats you didn’t know existed. From tracheal mites to tropilaelaps to small hive beetle, this module covers the full range of pests and predators that can threaten your colony—including some that most beekeepers have never heard of until it’s too late.
- You’ll protect your apiary from external threats. Wasps, wasp attacks, birds, vermin, and even livestock—know what’s out there and how to stop it getting into your hives before serious damage is done.
- You’ll get support. Spotted something in your hive you don’t recognise? Reach out. We’re here to help you work through it.
Module Lessons
This module covers 17 specific topics. Each lesson gives you practical, experience-based guidance you can apply straight away.
1. Introduction To Hive Pests
Understand the full range of threats your colonies face and why pest management is one of the most important skills in beekeeping. This lesson sets the context for everything that follows.
2. Varroa
The most destructive pest in modern beekeeping. Learn how varroa infestations develop, how they spread through your apiary, and why untreated colonies rarely survive long-term.
3. Estimating Varroa Populations
Before you treat, you need to know what you’re dealing with. Learn how to accurately estimate varroa levels in your colony so you can make informed treatment decisions.
4. Varroa Treatment Options
There’s no single right answer when it comes to varroa treatment. This lesson walks you through the available options—their pros, cons, and the conditions each one is best suited to.
5. Applying Apivar
A practical, step-by-step guide to applying Apivar correctly. Get the timing, dosage, and application method right to make sure your treatment is as effective as possible.
6. Wax Moth
Wax moth can destroy frames and stored comb quickly if conditions allow. Learn how to recognise an infestation, why strong colonies are your best defence, and what to do if it takes hold.
7. Wasps
Wasps become a serious threat to weak colonies in late summer. Understand the conditions that make colonies vulnerable and how to reduce entrance size to give your bees a fighting chance.
8. Wasp Attack
A full-scale wasp attack can overwhelm a colony in hours. Learn to recognise the signs of an active attack and know exactly what to do to stop it.
9. Robbing Bees
Robbing behaviour is often mistaken for a wasp attack—but the response is different. Learn to tell them apart and how to manage robbing before it gets out of hand.
10. Asian Hornet
The Asian hornet has arrived in the UK and poses a serious threat to honeybee colonies. Know what it looks like, how to report a sighting, and what steps to take to protect your apiary.
11. Small Hive Beetle
Not yet established in the UK but spreading through Europe. Understand what small hive beetle looks like, the damage it causes, and why beekeepers should know about it now.
12. Tropilaelaps
An exotic mite pest to be aware of. This lesson covers what tropilaelaps is, how it differs from varroa, and how to identify it if it ever reaches the UK.
13. Tracheal Mites
Tracheal mites affect bees’ breathing and flight. Learn how to recognise the signs of an infestation and what options are available for treatment.
14. Birds
Certain birds will target your hives, particularly in winter. Know which species pose a risk and what simple measures keep them away from your apiary.
15. Creepy Crawlies
From ants to woodlice to earwigs—a range of insects can take up residence in your hives. Learn which ones to worry about and which ones to leave alone.
16. Vermin
Mice and other vermin can cause serious damage to a hive over winter. Learn how to protect your colonies from rodent damage during the months when you’re visiting less frequently.
17. Livestock – Bears and Badgers
In some parts of the UK, badgers are a real threat to ground-level hives. Learn what protection works and how to set up your apiary to reduce the risk.
Part of the 14-Day Beekeeper
This Pests and Parasites module is one of 14 modules in the The 14-Day Beekeeper—our complete training program with 300+ video lessons, the Beekeeping Blueprint system, and 12 months of HiveQ membership.
If you’re new to beekeeping or just starting out, the complete course will serve you better. This module assumes you already understand colony dynamics, inspection techniques, and basic hive management. Without that foundation, some lessons may feel difficult to apply.
The full course builds that knowledge step-by-step, so by the time you reach bee health, you’ll have the context and confidence to put everything into practice.
What students say
Learn why beekeepers choose us.Learned so much
was watching your videos long before you started 14DBK. Your simple method of getting the information across and genuine love of beekeeping shines through. My wife and I have now finished the course but are still learning so much from the HiveQ community. The ability to return to relevant modules at any time is an absolute blessing.
All anyone needs to start beekeeping
14DBK – Bought when it first launched and it’s been invaluable. Books, although valuable, lack the ability to watch someone actually do what they teach. 14DBK and the youtube channels new direction to education is all anyone needs to start beekeeping.
A reference library
I loved this course, as a new beekeeper it has been very helpful and we certainly be a reference library going forward that I can go back to time and again, I can fully recommend this for newbies and experienced beekeepers
A wealth of knowledge
Purchased the 14 day beekeeping course for my mum for christmas. She loved it! And we are excited to be going into 2026 with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of bees that we didnt have before.
Why Learn From Laurence?
Laurence Edwards has been teaching beekeeping for over a decade. His YouTube channel has helped hundreds of thousands of people start beekeeping with confidence, and his Beekeeping Blueprint system helped him increase his own honey yields by 400%.
This isn’t theory from a textbook. It’s practical, tested advice from someone who keeps bees every single day and has made every mistake so you don’t have to.
