BBKA BASIC ASSESSMENT 2024

SYLLABUS - When viewing this site, items on the syllabus are indicated in brown text.

1.0 MANIPULATION AND EQUIPMENT - PRACTICAL

The Candidate will be aware of:

  1. 1.1  the care needed when handling a colony of honey bees;

  2. 1.2  the reactions of honey bees to smoke;

  3. 1.3  the equipment needed to open a colony of honey bees and the importance of its

    cleanliness;

  4. 1.4  the reasons for opening a colony;

  5. 1.5  the need for stores.

  6. 1.6  the importance of record keeping.

The Candidate will be able to:

  1. 1.7  open a colony of honey bees and keep the colony under control;

  2. 1.8  demonstrate lighting and the use of the smoker;

  3. 1.9  demonstrate the use of the hive tool;

  4. 1.10  remove combs from the hive and identify worker, drone and queen cells or cups if

    present, and to comment on the state of the combs;

  5. 1.11  identify the female castes and the drone;

  6. 1.12  identify brood at all stages;

  7. 1.13  demonstrate the difference between drone, worker and honey cappings;

  8. 1.14  identify stored nectar, honey and pollen;

  9. 1.15  take a sample of worker bees in a suitable container;

  10. 1.16  state the number of worker bees required for an adult disease diagnosis sample;

  11. 1.17  demonstrate how to shake bees from a comb and how to look for signs of brood

    disease;

  12. 1.18  name and explain the function of the principal parts of a modern beehive;

  13. 1.19  discuss the concept of the bee space and its significance in the modern beehive;

  14. 1.20  assemble a brood frame and fit it with wired wax foundation;

  15. 1.21  discuss spacing of the combs in the brood chamber and super for both foundation and

    drawn comb and methods used to achieve this spacing.

2.0 NATURAL HISTORY AND BEEKEEPING – ORAL QUESTIONS

The Candidate will be:

  1. 2.1  able to give an elementary account of the development of queens. workers and drones in the honey bee colony ;

  2. 2.2  able to state the periods spent by the female castes and the drone in the four stages of their life (egg, larva, pupa and adult);

  3. 2.3  able to name the main local flora from which honey bees gather pollen and nectar;

  4. 2.4  able to give a simple definition of nectar and a simple description of how it is

    collected, brought back to the hive and is converted into honey;

  5. 2.5  able to give a simple description of the collection and use of pollen, water, and

    propolis in the honey bee colony;

  6. 2.6  able to give an elementary description of how the honey bee colony

  1. 2.7  able to give an elementary description of how to set up an apiary;

  2. 2.8  able to describe what precautions should be taken to avoid the honey bees being a

    nuisance to neighbours and livestock;

  3. 2.9  able to describe the possible effects of honey bee stings on humans and recommend suitable first aid treatment;

  4. 2.10  able to give an elementary description of the annual cycle of work in the apiary;

  5. 2.11  able to describe the preparation of sugar syrup and how and when to feed bees;

  6. 2.12  aware of the need to add supers and the timing of the operation;

  7. 2.13  aware of the dangers of robbing and how robbing can be avoided;

  8. 2.14  able to describe a method used to clear honey bees from supers;

  9. 2.15  able to describe the process of extracting honey from combs and a method of

    straining and bottling of honey suitable for a small-scale beekeeper, including

    hygiene;

  10. 2.16  aware of the various web-based resources relating to beekeeping, such as BBKA and

    Beebase.

3.0 SWARMING, SWARM CONTROL AND EFFECTS – ORAL QUESTIONS

The Candidate will be:

  1. 3.1  able to give an elementary description of swarming in a honey bee colony;

  2. 3.2  able to give an elementary account of one method of swarm control;

  3. 3.3  able to describe how to take a honey bee swarm and how to hive it;

  4. 3.4  able to describe the signs of a queenless colony and how to test if a colony is

    queenless;

  5. 3.5  able to describe the signs of laying workers and of a drone laying queen;

  6. 3.6  able to describe a simple method of queen introduction;

  7. 3.7  able to describe one method of uniting colonies and precautions to be taken;

4.0 DISEASE AND PESTS – ORAL QUESTIONS

The Candidate will be:

  1. 4.1  able to describe the appearance of healthy brood, sealed and unsealed;

  2. 4.2  aware of the reasons for good apiary hygiene;

  3. 4.3  aware of the reasons for regular brood comb replacement.;

  4. 4.4  able to describe the signs of the bacterial diseases American Foul Brood (AFB) and

    European Foul Brood (EFB), the fungal disease Chalk Brood and the viral disease

    Sacbrood;

  5. 4.5  able to describe methods for detecting and monitoring the presence of varroa (a mite)

    and describe its effect on the colony, including awareness of the effect of associated viruses;

  6. 4.6  aware of acarine (a mite) and nosema (a fungus) and their effect upon the colony;

  7. 4.7  able to describe ways of controlling varroa using integrated pest management techniques;

  8. 4.8  aware of the current legislation regarding notifiable diseases and pests of honey bees;

  9. 4.9  aware of whom to contact to verify disease and advise on treatment;

  10. 4.10  able to describe how comb can be stored to prevent wax moth damage;

  11. 4.11  able to describe how mice and other pests can be excluded from the hives in winter;

  12. 4.12  able to describe the procedures for cleaning poly and wooden hives.