Course code LauZ3122
Credit points 3
Apiculture
Total Hours in Course81
Number of hours for lectures24
Number of hours for seminars and practical classes8
Independent study hours49
Date of course confirmation20.01.2020
Responsible UnitInstitute of Soil and Plant Science
Course developer
lect.
Baiba Tikuma
Mg. paed.
Prior knowledge
Biol1001, Botany
LauZ3175, Agroecology and environmental protection
Course abstract
Purpose: to introduce the importance of bees in economy and ecology.
Content: History of beekeeping, beekeeping methods in Latvia and the world. The composition, life and activity of the bee colony. Honey bee and its subspecies. Beekeeping products, their acquisition and use. Organization of hives, bee food, nectar plants, pollination of crops. Bee diseases and pests.
Learning outcomes and their assessment
Knows the composition of the bee colony, life and activity, bee anatomy and physiology, bee subspecies - practical work and 1st test.
Knows the diversity of bee products and beekeeping methods, bee food base, nectar plants, bee diseases and pests in beekeeping - 2nd and 3rd test.
Knows how to choose the most suitable beekeeping methods for obtaining various beekeeping products and methods for limiting bee diseases and pests - practical work, 4th test.
Competence to set up the apiary and manage the work in the apiary. Evaluate the food base of bees. Prepared bee feed base and crop pollination plan and carry out pollination efficiency assessment - practical work.
Course Content(Calendar)
1. Importance of honey bees in economy and ecosystem. History of beekeeping. 2h
2. Biology of the honey bee colony. The composition of the bee colony and the behavior of its individuals. 2h
3. Anatomy and physiology of the honey bee: structure of the digestive, circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems. 2h
4. Practical work - Honey bee anatomy 2 hours
5. Honey bee subspecies. Beekeeping. The meaning, characteristics, tasks and methods of selection work. 2h
6. Breeding, evaluation and replacement of honey bee queens. 1h
7. Classification of honey bee diseases and their spread possibilities. Disease control measures. Pests in beekeeping, their control options. 3h
8. Beekeeping inventary and installation of apiary. 2h
9. Necessary inventory for the production of various bee products. Inventory for raising queen bees. 2h
10. Practical work - Setting up a bee apiary. 2h
11. Care of bee colonies, reproduction methods. Preparation of bee colonies for harvesting. 3h
12. Practical work – Production of beekeeping products 2 hours
13. Bee food base. Food sources for bees. Nectar, factors promoting and influencing its formation and release. 2h
14. Cultivated nectar plants and their use. Measures to ensure continuous income. 2h
15. Use of honey bees in crop pollination. A complex of measures to ensure effective pollination. 1h
16. Practical work - Provision of food base for bee colonies 2 h
Requirements for awarding credit points
- Positive assessment for four control papers.
The average grade of the four tests must be at least 4 points.
- Worked for all practical and laboratory work
Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work
Literature studies, processing and presentation of the results of practical works.
Group work during practical lessons.
Preparation for tests.
Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes
The final grade is the average of the four tests. The final grade can be increased by one point if the average score of the practical work is 7.5 or more.
Compulsory reading
1. Šteiselis.(2024). Biškopība., Rīga:SIA ADverts, 438 lpp.
2. Ritmanis Z. (2004) Medus un citi biškopības produkti. Rīga: Nordik, 264 lpp.
3. Šteiselis J. (2009) Biškopība iesācējiem. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 147 lpp.
4. The hive and the honey bee: a new book on beekeeping which continues the tradition of “Langstroth on the hive and the honeybee”. 1992. Ed. Graham J.M. Hmilton, Illinois: Dadant & Sons, p 1324
Further reading
1. https://www.strops.lv/brošūras
2. https://www.laukutikls.lv/macibu-materials-bisu-saimes-biologija
3. Dade H.A. (2009) Anatomy and Dissection of the Honeybee. Oxford: Alden press Cardiff: International Bee Research Association, 158 p.
Periodicals and other sources
1 . Nozares žurnāls “Biškopis”
2. Journal of apiculture science.
Notes
Compulsory course in the professional higher education bachelor's programme “Agriculture”, agronomy with specialisation in horticulture and rural farming for full-time students at 4th and part-time students in semester 5th.