UNION COUNTY BEEKEEPERS TEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (GRADED
A+)
How long has the NCSBA been in existence? - ANSWER-NCSBA founded on January
11, 1917
Which is the largest state beekeeper's association in the USA? - ANSWER-NCSBA
The NCSBA is a resource for information and camaraderie that will benefit both your
beekeeping experience and expertise. - ANSWER-That was just a random piece of
information
It offers many programs that encourage your involvement, enjoyment, and
continued education. - ANSWER-That was just a random piece of information
What are the various programs and opportunities supported by NCSBA? - ANSWER-a.
They include the NC Zoo, NC State Fair, NCSBA Master Beekeeper
Program, Golden Achievement Program, Certified Honey Producer
Program, annual judged contests for hive products and more.
What is the difference between a hobbyist beekeeper, a sideliner; and a commercial
operation? - ANSWER-a. Hobbyist - Interest, ecology, and recreation (10 hives or
fewer)
b. Sideliner - Not primary income, but actively markets bee products (tens to low
hundreds of hives)
c. Commercial - Bees as a primary business, pollination, or commercial production of
bee products and bees (200+ hives, or moves bees across State lines)
What do commercial operations do throughout the year? - ANSWER-Pollination and
commercial production of bee products and bees
How long has man been harvesting honey (and other products) from honeybees? -
ANSWER-Antiquity (9000 BC)
When did honey bees arrive in the Americas? - ANSWER-1621
What are some of the various ways that they kept bees? - ANSWER-Bee gums and
skeps
Who is Rev. L.L. Langstroth and what is he most known for? - ANSWER-Identified 'bee
space' and developed moveable frame hives
,What threats or difficulties do Africanized bees pose to the USA and NC? - ANSWER-
Dangerous, defensive, and aggressive
What can be done about Africanized honey bees? (NC response) - ANSWER-a.
Contact State Inspector if a hive is unusually aggressive
b. Acquire queens through the NCSBA 'Born-N-Bred' program
c. Uncertified bees from out of state must be inspected
d. All Africanized bees should be destroyed - eliminate genetics
What is pollination? Be generally familiar with parts of a flower. - ANSWER-Pollination is
the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female
stigma; it is necessary for plants to reproduce by fruits, seeds, nuts etc.
How do bees differ from other insects in relation to pollination capabilities? - ANSWER-
a. Flower fidelity/ consistency - bees work one species of flowers or plant at one time
b. Simple Flowers - easy access
What crops are dependent on honey bees for pollination? - ANSWER-Apples, melons,
cranberries, pumpkins, squash, broccoli, almonds
What crops benefit from bee pollination, but do not require bees to set fruit? -
ANSWER-Parthenocarpy crops (Bananas and pineapples)
What is Bee Space? - ANSWER-3⁄8" wide between the frames
Who is A. I. Root? - ANSWER-Involved in forming NCSBA
Who is Charles Dadant? - ANSWER-Wrote "First lessons in Beekeeping"
What inventions have modernized beekeeping? - ANSWER-Langstroth Hive, Wax
Foundation and Frames, & Smoker
What major events occurred in the US that regulated or changed methods of
beekeeping? - ANSWER-a. 1922 Honey Bee Act passed by Congress (Restricts
importation of honey
bees into the US)
b. 1967 Buckfast Bees introduced to US (Italian/German stabilized hybrid,
resists tracheal mites)
c. 1984 Tracheal mites appear in the US
d. 1985 & 1990 Africanized honey bees migrate to US (Originated from
Brazil)
e. 1987 Varroa mites show up in the US
f. 1996 Small hive beetles (SHB) found in US
g. 1997 Russian honey bees introduced to US (Improved native resistance to
, varroa mites)
h. 2004 Israeli Acute Paralysis introduced to US
i. 2006 Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) identified
What major events occurred in N.C. that regulated or changed methods of beekeeping?
- ANSWER-a. 1973 The honey Bee was named the NC Official Insect
b. 1977 NC Bee and Honey Act
What is the primary importance of the honey bee? - ANSWER-Pollination
What list of products is obtained from a bee hive? - ANSWER-a. Beeswax, honey,
pollen, royal jelly, and venom
What are those products used for? - ANSWER-a. Cosmetics, medicinally, and cooking
What are the various types of bees throughout the world? - ANSWER-Western
Honeybee, Bumble bees, Squash bees, Blueberry bees, Leaf Cutter bee, Mason bee,
and Carpenter bees
What are the races of bees that are kept and what are their characteristics? - ANSWER-
(Supplemental Education Handout Top of Page 2)
a. German - (First honey bee to North America, not kept any longer)
b. Italian - (Most widely kept in the US, very good honey makers)
c. Carniolan - (Calm, early foragers, very good honey makers, tracheal mite
resistant)
d. Caucasian - (Calm, good honey makers, propolis stores)
e. Hybrids - (hygienic behavior, honey production, aggressiveness)
What makes an Africanized Bee different from the European (or "western") honey bee?
- ANSWER-More likely to swarm or abscond and aggressive
What crops do not require bees at all to pollinate? - ANSWER-Monoculture crops
(Alfalfa, cotton, corn, soybean, sugar cane, tobacco, and rice
What do bees forage for outside the hive? - ANSWER-Water, Nectar, Pollen, Resins
and Saps
How do they transport what they forage for? - ANSWER-a. Water - in honey stomach
b. Nectar- in honey stomach
c. Pollen - carried on their pollen baskets
d. Resins and Saps - carried on pollen baskets
Where are foraged items stored in the hive? - ANSWER-a. Water - not stored, used to
cool hive by evaporation
b. Nectar - outer frames of hive and top arch of frames
c. Pollen - by the front door on the outer frames
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (GRADED
A+)
How long has the NCSBA been in existence? - ANSWER-NCSBA founded on January
11, 1917
Which is the largest state beekeeper's association in the USA? - ANSWER-NCSBA
The NCSBA is a resource for information and camaraderie that will benefit both your
beekeeping experience and expertise. - ANSWER-That was just a random piece of
information
It offers many programs that encourage your involvement, enjoyment, and
continued education. - ANSWER-That was just a random piece of information
What are the various programs and opportunities supported by NCSBA? - ANSWER-a.
They include the NC Zoo, NC State Fair, NCSBA Master Beekeeper
Program, Golden Achievement Program, Certified Honey Producer
Program, annual judged contests for hive products and more.
What is the difference between a hobbyist beekeeper, a sideliner; and a commercial
operation? - ANSWER-a. Hobbyist - Interest, ecology, and recreation (10 hives or
fewer)
b. Sideliner - Not primary income, but actively markets bee products (tens to low
hundreds of hives)
c. Commercial - Bees as a primary business, pollination, or commercial production of
bee products and bees (200+ hives, or moves bees across State lines)
What do commercial operations do throughout the year? - ANSWER-Pollination and
commercial production of bee products and bees
How long has man been harvesting honey (and other products) from honeybees? -
ANSWER-Antiquity (9000 BC)
When did honey bees arrive in the Americas? - ANSWER-1621
What are some of the various ways that they kept bees? - ANSWER-Bee gums and
skeps
Who is Rev. L.L. Langstroth and what is he most known for? - ANSWER-Identified 'bee
space' and developed moveable frame hives
,What threats or difficulties do Africanized bees pose to the USA and NC? - ANSWER-
Dangerous, defensive, and aggressive
What can be done about Africanized honey bees? (NC response) - ANSWER-a.
Contact State Inspector if a hive is unusually aggressive
b. Acquire queens through the NCSBA 'Born-N-Bred' program
c. Uncertified bees from out of state must be inspected
d. All Africanized bees should be destroyed - eliminate genetics
What is pollination? Be generally familiar with parts of a flower. - ANSWER-Pollination is
the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female
stigma; it is necessary for plants to reproduce by fruits, seeds, nuts etc.
How do bees differ from other insects in relation to pollination capabilities? - ANSWER-
a. Flower fidelity/ consistency - bees work one species of flowers or plant at one time
b. Simple Flowers - easy access
What crops are dependent on honey bees for pollination? - ANSWER-Apples, melons,
cranberries, pumpkins, squash, broccoli, almonds
What crops benefit from bee pollination, but do not require bees to set fruit? -
ANSWER-Parthenocarpy crops (Bananas and pineapples)
What is Bee Space? - ANSWER-3⁄8" wide between the frames
Who is A. I. Root? - ANSWER-Involved in forming NCSBA
Who is Charles Dadant? - ANSWER-Wrote "First lessons in Beekeeping"
What inventions have modernized beekeeping? - ANSWER-Langstroth Hive, Wax
Foundation and Frames, & Smoker
What major events occurred in the US that regulated or changed methods of
beekeeping? - ANSWER-a. 1922 Honey Bee Act passed by Congress (Restricts
importation of honey
bees into the US)
b. 1967 Buckfast Bees introduced to US (Italian/German stabilized hybrid,
resists tracheal mites)
c. 1984 Tracheal mites appear in the US
d. 1985 & 1990 Africanized honey bees migrate to US (Originated from
Brazil)
e. 1987 Varroa mites show up in the US
f. 1996 Small hive beetles (SHB) found in US
g. 1997 Russian honey bees introduced to US (Improved native resistance to
, varroa mites)
h. 2004 Israeli Acute Paralysis introduced to US
i. 2006 Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) identified
What major events occurred in N.C. that regulated or changed methods of beekeeping?
- ANSWER-a. 1973 The honey Bee was named the NC Official Insect
b. 1977 NC Bee and Honey Act
What is the primary importance of the honey bee? - ANSWER-Pollination
What list of products is obtained from a bee hive? - ANSWER-a. Beeswax, honey,
pollen, royal jelly, and venom
What are those products used for? - ANSWER-a. Cosmetics, medicinally, and cooking
What are the various types of bees throughout the world? - ANSWER-Western
Honeybee, Bumble bees, Squash bees, Blueberry bees, Leaf Cutter bee, Mason bee,
and Carpenter bees
What are the races of bees that are kept and what are their characteristics? - ANSWER-
(Supplemental Education Handout Top of Page 2)
a. German - (First honey bee to North America, not kept any longer)
b. Italian - (Most widely kept in the US, very good honey makers)
c. Carniolan - (Calm, early foragers, very good honey makers, tracheal mite
resistant)
d. Caucasian - (Calm, good honey makers, propolis stores)
e. Hybrids - (hygienic behavior, honey production, aggressiveness)
What makes an Africanized Bee different from the European (or "western") honey bee?
- ANSWER-More likely to swarm or abscond and aggressive
What crops do not require bees at all to pollinate? - ANSWER-Monoculture crops
(Alfalfa, cotton, corn, soybean, sugar cane, tobacco, and rice
What do bees forage for outside the hive? - ANSWER-Water, Nectar, Pollen, Resins
and Saps
How do they transport what they forage for? - ANSWER-a. Water - in honey stomach
b. Nectar- in honey stomach
c. Pollen - carried on their pollen baskets
d. Resins and Saps - carried on pollen baskets
Where are foraged items stored in the hive? - ANSWER-a. Water - not stored, used to
cool hive by evaporation
b. Nectar - outer frames of hive and top arch of frames
c. Pollen - by the front door on the outer frames
