British Beekeeping exam Flashcards
What is the care needed when handling a colony of honey bees?
- Be clean and avoid strong smells that may agitate the bees
- Work gently, quietly, and minimize disturbance to the hive
- Use a smoker properly to calm the bees before opening the hive
- Avoid crushing bees as this releases alarm pheromones
- Keep the apiary tidy to allow efficient hive inspections
- Take precautions when leaving the apiary to avoid being followed by bees
- Wear proper protective clothing including a veil
- Avoid inspecting hives in very hot/cold weather or windy conditions
- Lift and move hive components carefully to prevent injury
What is the reaction of honey bees to smoke?
- Bees fill themselves on honey when exposed to smoke, which makes them less inclined to sting as their honey stomachs become full. This was likely an adaptation to prepare for potentially absconding from forest fires.
- Smoke masks or suppresses the alarm pheromones (isopentyl acetate and 2-heptanone) that guard bees release to alert the colony to threats and recruit other bees to attack. The pheromones have a banana-like smell.
- With the alarm pheromones masked by smoke, the colony does not receive the signal to defend the hive, so they remain relatively calm and do not attack in large numbers.
- Filling on honey may also cause the bees to become lethargic, similar to humans overeating at a buffet, making them less reactive.
What is the importance of cleanliness of personal equipment needed to open a colony of honey bees?
The importance of cleanliness of personal equipment needed to open a colony of honey bees is to prevent the spread of pests and diseases between colonies and apiaries.
- Sources of infection include infected combs, honey, beekeeping equipment, and the beekeeper’s clothing.
- Hive tools should be cleaned by soaking in a washing soda solution between inspecting each colony to prevent transferring pathogens.
What are the reasons for opening a colony?
- Check for presence of the queen and evidence of her laying a solid brood pattern
- Inspect for any signs of disease or pests like varroa mites
- Ensure the colony has adequate food stores of honey and pollen
- Check space requirements and add/remove boxes as needed
- Look for any comb issues like cross-combing or brace comb that needs correction
- Conduct management tasks like reversing boxes, making splits, etc.
- Collect honey surplus from full honey supers
The BBKA advises only opening colonies when there is a specific need or purpose, as frequent disturbance can set back the colony’s development. Inspections should be done calmly and efficiently to minimize stress on the bees.
What is the need for stores?
According to the BBKA, an ideal winter colony of 6 frames of bees needs approximately 40 lbs (around 20kg) of stored honey/syrup to last them until spring. This equates to having stores filling most of a brood box plus a full super on top.
- Bees need abundant stores to survive the winter when they are not able to forage for nectar/pollen.
- The recommended 40 lbs allows the colony to rear brood in early spring before nectar becomes available again.
- If stores run low, the colony can starve or the bees may be unable to maintain brood rearing, weakening the colony.
- Providing adequate winter stores, ideally as thick syrup fed in fall, minimizes work for the bees and prevents starvation.
What is the importance of record keeping?
- Monitor colony health and identify issues early (e.g. pests, diseases, poor performance)
- Track honey production and plan harvesting/feeding needs
- Comply with legal requirements and biosecurity codes
- Learn from experiences and improve management practices over time
- Enable participation in surveys and research studies
- Maintain financial records for business purposes
How do you open a colony of honey bees while keeping the colony under control?
- Light and use a smoker to puff cool smoke into the hive entrance. The smoke causes the bees to gorge on honey, making them more docile.
- Use a hive tool to pry apart the boxes of the hive gently. More smoke can be puffed between boxes as you work.
- Examine frames slowly and carefully, taking care not to crush any bees. Use the smoker again if the bees become agitated.
- When finished examining, replace frames gently and put boxes back together, puffing a bit more smoke before closing up completely.
- Record observations about the colony’s condition in a record book for future reference.
How do you light the smoker?
- Gather suitable kindling material that burns quickly (e.g. paper egg cartons, newspaper, dryer lint) and slower burning fuel (e.g. wood bark, pine needles, hay, burlap strips). Avoid toxic materials.
- Place the quick-burning kindling in the smoker first and light it.
- Once a small flame is established, add the slower burning fuel in small amounts while continuing to billow air into the smoker to keep the fire lit.
- Ensure the smoker is fully lit and producing ample smoke before approaching the hive.
- Billow the smoker every 10 minutes to prevent the fire from going out during inspections.
- Wear proper protective gear (veil, gloves) when lighting and operating the smoker.
How do you use the smoker?
- Push veil back from face when lighting to avoid flame reaching the veil
- Use smoke to encourage bees to gorge on honey, making them less able to sting
- Smoke masks alarm pheromones, reducing defensive behavior
- Use smoke to force bees down into hive when reassembling
- Have enough fuel to complete the full colony inspection
After done using the smoker:
- dump whats inside out, but make sure its not done near anything flammable. step on it or pour water over it
- can also put a cork into the spout, to prevent oxygen from getting through
How do you use the hive tool?
- Use the flat end of the standard hive tool to pry apart frames and boxes by inserting it between them and levering it back towards you to break the propolis seal.
- For tight frames, use the hooked “J” end of the J-tool. Slide the curved end down between the frame and box wall, hooking under the top bar. Push forward to pivot and lift out the frame without crushing bees.
- The sharp end of the hive tool can be used to scrape off propolis and wax buildup on frames and boxes.
- Avoid using excessive force that can damage frames or boxes. Use the tools gently and precisely to minimize disturbing the bees.
How do you remove the combs from the hive?
- Work slowly and calmly, giving the bees time to move out of the way. Don’t smoke them excessively.
- Use a sharp hive tool to gently pry and lift the unwanted comb away from the frames or surfaces it is attached to.
- Shake or brush off any bees still clinging to the comb you are removing.
- Keep an eye out for the queen and be very careful in areas where she may be present to avoid injuring her.
- It’s best to remove rogue comb as soon as possible before the bees continue building it out further, wasting resources.
- Removing large amounts of new comb and larvae can set the colony back, so weigh this against leaving some for them
What do the workers look like in the hive?
- Workers are smaller than the queen, with less dense hair
- They make up the majority of the colony, ranging from 50-500 workers depending on the species
- Workers take on tasks like caring for brood, cleaning the nest, defending the nest, feeding the queen, and foraging for nectar
- Workers have underdeveloped reproductive organs and cannot mate, though it’s not impossible for them to lay unfertilized drone eggs
- Workers show strong individual variation in their nest behavior and roles, which is stable over time
- Their spatial location and interactions within the nest help determine if they will switch roles, like becoming a forager when needed
What do the drones look like in the hive?
- Drones are the male honey bees in the colony. They have the following distinguishing characteristics:
- Larger and stouter bodies compared to worker bees
Large eyes that meet at the top of the head - No pollen baskets on their legs
- No stinger
- Make a loud, deep buzzing sound when flying
- Hang around in the hive doing no work, being fed by workers
- Present in the hive during the swarming season from spring through early summer
What do the queen cells look like in the hive?
Queen cells have a distinctive look that allows you to identify them easily in the hive:
- They are larger than regular worker brood cells, about the size and shape of a peanut in the shell.
- They hang vertically on the face of the brood comb, unlike worker cells which are horizontal.
- They have a rough, porous texture compared to the smooth worker cells.
- When first constructed, they look like a small half-sphere of fresh white/yellow wax protruding from the comb.
- As the queen larva develops, the cell extends further into a larger peanut-like shape.
- Once capped, the cap has a more rounded and bulbous appearance compared to flat worker caps
What do the cups look like in the hive?
- They may not be present
- A queen cup, or emergency queen cup as they are often called, is an empty queen cup that bees often have in the hive
- Queen cups are special structures built by worker bees to indicate to the queen that she needs to lay a fertilized egg there for rearing a new queen.
- They are peanut-shaped and hang vertically from the comb.
- They are about the size of a peanut in the shell.
- They have a raised circular rim around the top edge.
- Worker bees deposit a small amount of royal jelly in the base of the cup.
- There may be one or a few queen cups present on the edges of the brood frames.
- If the existing queen is getting old or the colony is preparing to swarm, the workers will build several queen cups and the queen will lay fertilized eggs in them to rear new queens
How can you comment on the state of the combs?
Good combs in hives should be:
- Clean
- Not dark colored (unless using for reference to comb changes)
- State the percentage of brood, etc.
What do the female castes look like?
Queen
- The only fertile female in the colony
- Lays up to 2,000 eggs per day
- Mates with multiple drones on mating flights
- Lives for around 3 years
- Produces pheromones that regulate colony behavior
Worker
- Sterile females that perform all the labor in the hive
- Do not mate
- Live for 4-6 weeks during active season, longer in winter
- Roles include nursing larvae, building comb, foraging, guarding hive
- Develop from fertilized eggs laid by the queen
What are the stages of brood?
The four stages of brood are:
Egg - The queen lays tiny white eggs, one per cell. This stage lasts 3 days.
Larva - After hatching, the larva is a legless white grub that is fed by nurse bees for around 5 days (worker bees) or 6.5 days (drones).
Pupa/Capped Brood - The larva is sealed in its cell with a wax capping and pupates, undergoing metamorphosis for about 13 days (worker) or 15 days (drone) to develop into an adult bee.
Adult - The fully developed bee chews its way out of the capped cell as an adult worker, drone or queen.
Identify each stage of brood
Eggs: Small white dashes or “tic tacs” laid at the bottom of cells
Small Larvae: Small white C-shaped larvae sitting in a pool of royal jelly
Large Larvae: Larger C-shaped larvae that have consumed more royal jelly
Pupae (Capped Brood): Flat golden wax cappings over pupating larva
What is the difference between drone, worker and honey capping?
Drone Capping
- Rounded, bullet-shaped caps
- Protrudes out more than worker brood
- Looks like an eraser at the end of a pencil
Worker Capping
- Slightly protruding caps
- Smaller and flatter than drone caps
- Slight bump compared to honey capping
Honey Capping
- Slightly indented caps compared to worker brood
- Capping is thinner than brood capping
What does stored nectar look like?
- Thick, syrupy liquid
- Capped with a thin layer of beeswax to seal it for long-term storage
- Stored in the upper parts of the hive, away from the brood nest
- Varies in color from nearly clear to dark amber depending on the nectar source
What does stored honey look like?
- Honey stored in the comb appears as sealed cells with a thin layer of wax covering the honey
- The wax cappings are slightly convex and translucent, allowing the honey to be seen through the caps
- Properly cured honey has a moisture content of 17-18%
- Capped honey is thick and viscous, not runny
- Uncapped honey may be thinner in consistency
- Color varies depending on the nectar source, from nearly colorless to dark amber
- Lighter colored honeys are usually milder in flavor, while darker honeys are more robust
What does stored pollen look like?
- Granules of various colors (yellow, orange, brown, red, white, etc.) packed into the cells of the honeycomb
- The pollen is mixed with nectar and bee saliva to form “bee bread”, which is a fermented, nutritious food for the developing larvae and adult bees
- Stored pollen has a drier, more compact consistency compared to fresh pollen on flowers
- The color of stored pollen reflects the different plant sources the bees have been foraging on
How would you take a sample of worker bees into a suitable container?
Prepare a small plastic bag (e.g. a “zip-lock” bag, small food bag, or coin bag) and a short tube (e.g. toilet roll tube, outer sleeve of a matchbox, short piece of plastic pipe, or rolled up card).
Move the opening of the tube around the top of the brood frames. The bees’ instinct is to go “up and into the dark”. Allow them to investigate and walk into the bag on their own.
Once you have approximately 30 bees in the bag and tube, perform a single, smooth, swift action:
- Turn the bag/tube upside down
- Give a single downward jolt to dislodge any bees in the tube into the bottom of the bag
- Remove the tube and seal the bag
Make sure the queen is not in the sample. The bees can be killed humanely by putting the sealed bag in the freezer overnight at -18°C (0°F).
For sending samples to a lab, use a small sturdy box (e.g. standard matchbox size) well-packaged to avoid squashing the bees. Avoid glass or plastic containers. Include a completed sample submission form with contact info and payment.
What is the difference between stored nectar and honey in terms of their appearance?
Nectar:
- Thin, watery, and translucent
- Glistening with morning dew
Honey:
- Thick, rich, velvety, and sticky
- More viscous than nectar
What are the different parts of the beehive?
- Hoffmann brood frames
- Dummy boards
- Brace comb
- Propolis
- Brood Box
- Manley super frames
- Frames
- Bottom Board
- Inner cover
- Outer cover/roof
- Hive stand
- Queen excluder
- Entrance reducer
- Mouse guard
What is the space required between the frames and sections?
6-9mm
What is important to take into consideration for the apiary layout?
- orientation
- spacing and access
- population (forage density)
- wind, shade, and frost
- flight paths
- drifting
- moving hives (less than 1m or more than 5km)
What is the material needed to open a hive?
- smoker
- hive tool
- hygiene
- bee sting first aid
- bee suit/jacket with veil
- beekeeping gloves
What are the different types of feeding?
- thin syrup
- thick syrup
- candy
- robbing
What is thin syrup and why would it be used?
- 50% sugar
- should be given in the spring when it is in immediate use by the colony and to encourage brood-rearing
- 11:25 ratio of sugar to water
- used as emergency feeding because it is an easily acessible and consumable food source
What is thick syrup and why would it be used?
- 65% sugar
- should be given in later summer/autumn to create stores
- 2:1 ratio of sugar to water
- it’s used because it is more easily processed by the bees before they store it, therefore at a time you want the bees to process it quickly, but you don’t want them working too hard
- for example, thick syrup in the fall allows the bees to quickly cure and cap it before cold weather arrives, when they’re less able to process thinner syrup
What is candy and why would it be used?
-its optional with pollen to encourage build-up
- winter or with small colonies to survive
- Candy refers to a thick sugar paste or fondant made by mixing sugar with a small amount of water. It is fed to honeybee colonies in the fall or winter for the following reasons:
- It provides a concentrated food source that is easy for the bees to store without needing to dehydrate it further.
- Feeding thick candy in the fall allows the bees to quickly cap and store it before cold weather when they are less active.
- Candy stimulates the colony less than thinner syrups, which is desirable in fall to avoid excessive brood rearing that can’t be supported over winter.
Solid candy is less likely to promote conditions favorable for nosema disease compared to thin syrups.
What is robbing and why would it be used?
Robbing refers to the act of honey bees entering another colony’s hive and stealing their honey stores. It typically occurs when there is a shortage of nectar sources in the environment, prompting stronger colonies to raid weaker or dead colonies for their honey reserves.
Robbing is generally not an intentional practice by beekeepers, as it can lead to increased aggression, spread of diseases, and weakening of colonies. However, some reasons why robbing may occur or be allowed include:
- To harvest honey from weaker or dead colonies that would otherwise be wasted.
- To combine or “rob out” a weak colony by shaking the bees into a stronger colony, taking their honey stores.
- Accidental robbing due to spilled honey or syrup around the apiary, attracting bees from other hives.
Beekeepers aim to prevent robbing by avoiding conditions that promote it, such as leaving hive entrances open too wide, spilling honey or syrup, or having weak colonies that cannot defend themselves. Proper management and timely harvesting of honey are crucial to minimize the risk of robbing and its negative consequences.
