Journeyman Beekeeper Testing#
To become a Journeyman Beekeeper
Individuals should be functioning as a competent hobby beekeeper with the skills and knowledge for moving into sideline beekeeping if desired.
Requirements:
Must have two years of beekeeping experience.
Must have held Certified rank for at least one year. For the Journeyman level exclusively we accept applicants who hold an entry-level rank equivalent to Certified from a sister Master Beekeeper program. Individuals must provide a copy of their certificate that indicates they have held the rank for at least one year.
Must pass a written and practical test. The written test will also include a “situational” essay question. This will test the candidate’s ability to articulate solutions that solve a beekeeping problem. This will lean more on one’s practical beekeeping experience than what can be gleaned from a book.
The practical test includes:
Identifying, offering ways to control and describing differences between honey bee pests and diseases (90% pass);
Distinguishing between bees, wasps, hornets, and other non-bee insects (90% pass);
Identifying anatomical structures of a bee and a flower
Must have 5 public service credits (see public service requirements on our website www.ent.uga.edu/bees).
The written test includes materials from the Advanced Journeyman/Master Study Guide and encouraged outside readings.
Preparation materials for the written and practical exam: Candidates are encouraged to read the following:
Dewey Caron & Larry Connor: Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping
Jurgen Tautz: The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism
Mark Winston: The Biology of the Honey Bee
Douglas W. Tallamy: Bringing Nature Home or Nature’s Best Hope (New for testing 2026)
Journeyman & Master Study Guide (Chapters 12 - 22 will be available January 30, 2026) https://bjb211.github.io/bee-study-guide/
If you have any questions about the material please contact Jennifer Berry, jbee@uga.edu