Honey bee natural history and Biology
The candidate shall be able to give a detailed account of:
- how knowledge of the number of days spent in each stage of brood development from egg to adult can help the beekeeper to solve practical problems;
- the effect of feeding on caste determination with an outline discussion of the differences between brood food and royal jelly;
- the difference between summer and winter worker honey bees
- the signs of laying workers in a colony:
- the circumstances in which they are produced
- how the situation may be remedied;
- the signs and the causes of a drone laying queen in a colony and how it may be remedied
Honey bee behaviour
The candidate shall be able to give a detailed account and draw illustrative diagrams where appropriate of:
- the function and behaviour of the worker honey bee throughout its life including
- the types of work done
- duration of work periods under normal circumstances and
- the variations in behaviour due to seasonal changes in the state of the colony;
- the seasonal variations in the population size of a honey bee colony
- an explanation of such variations
- hive manipulation and preparation in response
- the social organisation of the honey bee colony
- the behaviour of the foraging bee and its work methods in the field including orientation
- the behaviour of the worker bee towards intruders and the theories
- advanced to describe the means by which colonies recognise intruders
- the collection of nectar and water and their use by the colony
- the collection, storage and use of pollen by the honey bee colony
- the collection, transport and use of propolis by the honey bee colony
- the conditions leading to swarming and supersedure
Honeybee diseases, pests, pathogens and poisoning
The candidate shall be able to give a detailed account and draw illustrative diagrams where appropriate of:
- the treatment of AFB and EFB including methods of destruction of colonies and sterilisation of equipment
- the signs and symptoms of poisoning by natural substances, pesticides and herbicides
- crops most likely to be sprayed thereby causing damage to honey bee colonies
- methods of spraying and the sprays which are likely to be least detrimental to honey bee colonies
- methods which can be used by the beekeeper to diminish the problem of spray poisoning
- action to be taken when spray/chemical damage is suspected
- how to identify the following pests and how they affect the colony and the remedial action taken:
- larval greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella)
- lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella)
- small hive beetle (Aethina tumida)
- varroa mite: Varroa destructor, and Varroa jacobsoni
- acarine, Tracheal mite (Acarpis woodi)
- asian hornet (Vespa velutina)
- bee louse (Braula coeca)
- spiders, earwigs, and cockroaches, wasps
- mice
- pine martens, squirrels, mink
Apiary and honeybee management and history
The candidate shall be able to give a detailed account and draw illustrative diagrams where appropriate of:
- the management of colonies for the production of comb honey
- the use of honey bees as pollinators in orchards and fields of seed crops including arrangements to be made with the farmer/grower
- the production and use of pollen supplement and substitutes
- methods of swarm control suitable for use in small and large beekeeping enterprises
- methods of monitoring and maintaining the health of colonies
- the setting up and management throughout the season of an observation hive and the uses to which it can be put
- the identification of pollen grains -using named examples – by their:
- colour
- size
- specific shape and structure
- an outline account of the technique of melissopalynology to determine the floral source and geographical origin of honey samples
- the life history of one selected species of each of the following found in Ireland:
- solitary bee and
- social bee (other than Apis mellifera)
- wasp
- the history of beekeeping in Ireland and of leading contributions to the knowledge of the honey bee, honey bee practices and the use of the CDB hive
- ancient Irish beekeeping and its interrelation with both agriculture and our ancient laws as can be seen in the Brehon Laws and in Becbretha.
Connection with the public
- setting up the observation hive
- management of an observation hive
- transport and care of hive/colony
- safety in relation to use in public at exhibition
- location of apiaries in public areas
- security
- safety
- access control
- evaluation of risk
- preparation and completion of risk assessment form
- first Aid needs and awareness in dealing with bees
- awareness of special considerations needed when dealing with live bees
- security and safety when transporting bees outside the home apiary
Selection and breeding of Honey bees
The candidate shall be able to give a detailed account and draw illustrative diagrams where appropriate of:
- the life cycles of drones and queens in the immature stages
- a system of record keeping used in the assessment of queens and their progeny
- age of adult drone and queen when ready to mate
- timeline from laying of the egg to readiness to mate in the:
- queen
- drone
- timeline of each stage of metamorphosis egg/larva/pupa/emergence
- the deciding principles used for the selection of breeder queens and drones:
- temperament
- foraging ability
- hygienic behaviour of the bee
- swarming tendency
- overwintering history
- preparing colonies to:
- raise queens and
- raise drones for mating
- methods of queen rearing suitable for a beekeeper with five to ten colonies and methods more suitable for larger scale queen rearing operations
- materials and equipment needed for queen rearing
- a method of instrumental insemination and assessment of the role this technique could play in honey bee breeding;
- the signs of queen-less-ness and how this may be confirmed;
- colour-coding and other methods of marking the Queen
- clipping queens and the advantages of this practice
- distinguishing Queen cells produced under:
- emergency
- supersedure
- swarm impulse
- methods of queen introduction
- the principles underlying the process:
- the precautions to be taken
- difficulties in relation to different strains of bee and colony condition
- the setting up of mating nuclei and precautions that need to be taken
- the use of an apidea
- differences in handling/managing bees depending on the particular strain of bee
- selection of breeder queens and the reasons for this
- selection of drones and the reasons for choices
- methods of raising queens
- methods of grafting eggs to produce queenss
- significance of life-cycle timelines of both drone and queen
- the importance of bee behaviour in relation to breeding queens
- significance and the implications of inbreeding.
Seasonal management of honey bees
- siting an apiary in relation to
- weather
- climate
- overhanging structures both natural and man made
- access
- security
- safety for people and animals
- sources of forage
- competition from neighbouring apiaries/native pollinators
- source of water
- forage available to bees throughout the seasons
- nectar sources
- difference between nectar sources and the implications
- pollen sources
- propolis source
- water availability
- preparing bee colony and beehives for honey flow
- the use of honey bees for pollination in agriculture
- factors to be considered when bees are moved to a new site for forage:
- safety
- security
- equipment
- materials
- access
- Differences in harvesting of honey from different floral sources
Autmn treatment and preparation for winter
- reasons to treat for varroa
- approved treatments available in Ireland and how to use them
- when it is suitable to treat
- how is the treatment administered
- withdrawal period
- effect on the colony
- how to deal with residues following treatment
- sterilising hive parts and equipment for storage
- chemical and other procedures used
- methods of storage of equipment
- sterilising equipment and clothing after use
- food stores prepared and provided by the beekeeper to overwinter
- food requirement in the colony for winter
- securing the hive for winter
The harvesting of honey and preparation for show or sale
- how to harvest and prepare different floral honey
- how to prepare
- run honey
- creamed honey
- section honey
- cut-comb honey
- regulations relating to labelling honey which is presented for sale
- importance of good hygiene in preparing a food product for human consumption
Current protocols to protect against harmful invasive species
- details of some named species which may prove dangerous
- Asian hornet Vespa velutina,
- Small hive beetle Aethina tumidia,
- Tropilaelaps mite
- identification of possible species
- effects of invasive species on the honey bee
- Irish agencies dealing with invasive wildlife species and how to interact with these
- how to install a sentinel hive
Adapted from the original syllabus devised by Prof. Breandán Ó Cochláin