BBKA Module 1 Honey Bee Management
- This is a brief summary of what is included in the exam.
- You could just use the syllabus to show you what you could learn.
- The exam is written only - there is no practical component.
- The exams are held as written exams or online assessments.
- There is no need to take the exam. Exams are not for all of us.
- The complete exam syllabus is available here.
- There are past papers so you can see what you are missing!
- Be aware that the syllbus changed very recently.
The exam covers the following subject areas:
- Different types of hives and frames.
- Features of construction of hives including beespace.
- Beespace work by W.B.Carr, J.R.Hoffman and R.O.B.Manley.
- Wax foundation and fitting it into frames.
- How to encourage comb to be drawn on foundation.
- Use of a Queen excluder - including different types
- How to set up as a beekeeper.
- Choosing an apiary site and setting it up.
- Honeybee drifting - what it is and how to prevent it.
- Importance of comb replacement and how to do it on a strong colony.
- The Apiary year and how to record it.
- Feeding the bees - when, how and with what?
- Swarms - anticipation, control and collection.
- Queens - marking, clipping and requeening.
- Uniting colonies - why, how, when and what precautions?
- Moving colonies - why, how, when and what precautions?
- Robbing by honeybees and wasps - how to prevent and curtail.
- Nucleus - how to use it to make productive new colonies.
- Clearing bees from supers.
- Bad tempered colonies - how to identify and what to do.
- Honey bee stings - how to treat a minor reaction.
- Dealing with laying workers
- Dealing with drone laying queens