It’s All About Pollinating Minds
Located at
727 4th St. Orland, CA
1/3 of all the food we eat is directly or indirectly derived from honeybee pollination.
BEE-NATOMY 101
Visit our center at our location at 727 4th Street in Downtown Orland.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming open dates & times below:
Wednesday, March 4th - 10am - 2pm
Friday, March 6th - 3pm - 6pm
Saturday, March 7th - 11am - 2pm
Friday, March 13th - 11am - 2pm
Friday, March 20th - 11am - 2pm
BEE-NATOMY 101 is an intricate look into the dynamic anatomy of the amazing honeybee. A deep dive into the bodies of our buzzy little buddies. These winged wonders have some incredible features that we are sure you'll be thrilled to learn more about. Newly added elements allow more hands-on experience!
Local Nursery Crawl
Honeybee Discovery Center will be at Hodge’s Family Nursery at 9681 Midway Durham, CA 95938 during the 12th annual Local Nursery Crawl. Bee sure to come check out the nursery and shop at our pop-up shop.
Friday, March 27th & Saturday, March 28th
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
There are a total of 13 Local independent nurseries and plant shops on the Crawl this year! Mark your calendars Bring some friends and we can’t wait to see you!
Honeybee at Hodge’s
Homeschool Event Sponsored by Hodge’s Family Nursery
April 14th, 2026
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Hodge’s Family Nursery
9681 Midway, Durham, CA 95938
Honeybee Discovery Center will be providing a fun, hands-on experience about honeybees and other pollinators at Hodge’s Family Nursery for homeschool students. Limited spots available and registration is required. Hodge’s Family has graciously sponsored this event, so it’s free to attend.
Beekeeping Workshop
This 3 day workshop on April 1st and 8th 5:00-7:00pm and 11th 9:00am-11:00am promotes safe beekeeping practices, healthy hive management, and proven strategies to reduce colony losses while supporting local honey production. With recent research indicating colony losses of up to 60% in California—and with the tri-county region playing a critical role in bee breeding and agricultural pollination—this training is both timely and essential.
Offered in collaboration with the Honeybee Discovery Center, the Honeybee Biology & Beekeeping Workshop is a hands-on, three-session training designed for both new and returning beekeepers.
Honeybee Discovery Center expert trainers Emily Helton and Jerry Hightower bring extensive field experience in commercial beekeeping, colony health, and sustainable hive management—ensuring participants gain practical, research-informed skills they can immediately apply.
Hosted by Butte College The Training Place at the Glenn Center, this 6-hour program combines engaging classroom instruction with live field demonstrations to build foundational skills, strengthen hive health, and increase honey yield.
Intro to Beekeeping
Course Dates: June 16- July 10, 2026 (4 weeks), Live Online Class Meetings: Tuesday 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Registration Deadline: June 9, 2026
Fully online.
Faculty: Emily Helton(opens in new window).
This class is taught in collaboration with the Honeybee Discover Center by Emily Helton. She served as a Research and Extension Technician at the University of Florida Honey Bee Lab for six years and contributed to research on native bees, varroa mites, pesticides, nutrition, and more. Helton helped develop the University of Florida’s Online Master Beekeeper Program, wrote the book, “Expert Guide to Honey Bees & Beekeeping”, and leads public education efforts at the Honeybee Discovery Center.
This course will introduce you to the biology of honey bees (Apis mellifera) and provides a comprehensive overview of beekeeping practices. Learn about the life cycle, anatomy, behavior, and ecology of honey bees and explore essential beekeeping methods such as hive management, honey production, and disease control. The course combines theoretical and practical knowledge.
This class is available to be taken singly for continuing education purposes or general interest. It is an optional elective for the Technical Assistance Provider Certification Program(opens in new window).
NOW BOOKING
Field Trips
Mobile Classroom
& Group Tours!
Schedule a field trip for your classroom or a private group tour to visit the Honeybee Discovery Center! Visitors will learn about the importance of honeybees and beekeeping. You’ll get the chance to experience the current exhibit with hands-on educational activities. Plus, we now offer mobile classroom options, where bring the learning to YOU!
Field Trip Price: $75.00 per class
(up to 25 students)
Mobile Classroom Price: Starting at $250.00
(price based on location and number of students)
Group Tour Prices:
$25 for a group of 6-10 people.
$35 for a group of 11-20 people
(An additional $3/person over 20 people)
Group tours typically last 30-45 minutes, field trips up to one hour and mobile classroom varies depending on location and number of students.
If you have any questions, please call (530)805-BUZZ or email info@honeybeediscoverycenter.org
Check out our amazing gift shop!
Come shop a variety of bee-utiful jewelry, soaps, and other artisanal goodies! Plus, adorable bee inspired gifts and kids toys.
We also have a selection of honey available for purchase.
Fun Fact: The local honey we sell has been donated by our beekeeper friends and the proceeds go directly into funding for our educational programs.
Future Plans
Yvonne Koehnen, Board President
Honeybee Discovery Center
Our Partners
Pollinator education thrives through partnership. We are proud to work alongside organizations that support our mission to protect pollinators and empower others to make a difference.
