Union County Beekeepers Test
What do commercial operations do throughout the year? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Pollination and commercial production of bee products and bees
How long has man been harvesting honey (and other products) from honeybees? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Antiquity (9000 BC)
When did honey bees arrive in the Americas? - CORRECT ANSWER-1621
What are some of the various ways that they kept bees? - CORRECT ANSWER-Bee
gums and skeps
Who is Rev. L.L. Langstroth and what is he most known for? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Identified 'bee space' and developed moveable frame hives
What is Bee Space? - CORRECT ANSWER-3⁄8" wide between the frames
Who is A. I. Root? - CORRECT ANSWER-Involved in forming NCSBA
Who is Charles Dadant? - CORRECT ANSWER-Wrote "First lessons in Beekeeping"
What inventions have modernized beekeeping? - CORRECT ANSWER-Langstroth
Hive, Wax Foundation and Frames, & Smoker
What major events occurred in the US that regulated or changed methods of
beekeeping? - CORRECT 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?
- CORRECT 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? - CORRECT ANSWER-Pollination
What list of products is obtained from a bee hive? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Beeswax,
honey, pollen, royal jelly, and venom
What are those products used for? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Cosmetics, medicinally,
and cooking
What are the various types of bees throughout the world? - CORRECT 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? -
CORRECT 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?
- CORRECT ANSWER-More likely to swarm or abscond and aggressive
What threats or difficulties do Africanized bees pose to the USA and NC? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Dangerous, defensive, and aggressive
What can be done about Africanized honey bees? (NC response) - CORRECT
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. - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT
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? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Apples, melons, cranberries, pumpkins, squash, broccoli, almonds
, What crops benefit from bee pollination, but do not require bees to set fruit? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Parthenocarpy crops (Bananas and pineapples)
What crops do not require bees at all to pollinate? - CORRECT ANSWER-Monoculture
crops (Alfalfa, cotton, corn, soybean, sugar cane, tobacco, and rice
What do bees forage for outside the hive? - CORRECT ANSWER-Water, Nectar,
Pollen, Resins and Saps
How do they transport what they forage for? - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT 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
d. Propolis - seal cracks and fill crevices
What changes, if any, do the bees make to the items they forage for? - CORRECT
ANSWER-a. Bee Bread - Mixture of pollen, nectar, saliva, and water used to feed
developing larvae
b. Honey- Nectar is transferred to house bees which blow bubbles into the nectar and
add enzymes such as invertase and glucose oxidase to make it into honey.
c. Propolis - workers chew the resins, combine it with beeswax and stomach content
depending on how and where they want to use it.
What does nectar provide? - CORRECT ANSWER-energy
What does pollen provide? - CORRECT ANSWER-Protein, amino acids, lipids, and
minerals
How far do bees fly when foraging? - CORRECT ANSWER-3 miles one way to
preferred pollen or nectar source. Usually more like 1.5 miles.
What are the different segments of the bee? - CORRECT ANSWER-Head, Thorax,
Abdomen
What primary structures (organs and glands) are located in each segment? What are
their functions? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Head (eyes, antenna, mandible/ jaw,
proboscis, complex brain, glands)
b. Thorax (Wings and legs)
c. Abdomen (Wax and scent glands [workers only], stinger [workers and queen only])
What do commercial operations do throughout the year? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Pollination and commercial production of bee products and bees
How long has man been harvesting honey (and other products) from honeybees? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Antiquity (9000 BC)
When did honey bees arrive in the Americas? - CORRECT ANSWER-1621
What are some of the various ways that they kept bees? - CORRECT ANSWER-Bee
gums and skeps
Who is Rev. L.L. Langstroth and what is he most known for? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Identified 'bee space' and developed moveable frame hives
What is Bee Space? - CORRECT ANSWER-3⁄8" wide between the frames
Who is A. I. Root? - CORRECT ANSWER-Involved in forming NCSBA
Who is Charles Dadant? - CORRECT ANSWER-Wrote "First lessons in Beekeeping"
What inventions have modernized beekeeping? - CORRECT ANSWER-Langstroth
Hive, Wax Foundation and Frames, & Smoker
What major events occurred in the US that regulated or changed methods of
beekeeping? - CORRECT 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?
- CORRECT 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? - CORRECT ANSWER-Pollination
What list of products is obtained from a bee hive? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Beeswax,
honey, pollen, royal jelly, and venom
What are those products used for? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Cosmetics, medicinally,
and cooking
What are the various types of bees throughout the world? - CORRECT 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? -
CORRECT 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?
- CORRECT ANSWER-More likely to swarm or abscond and aggressive
What threats or difficulties do Africanized bees pose to the USA and NC? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Dangerous, defensive, and aggressive
What can be done about Africanized honey bees? (NC response) - CORRECT
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. - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT
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? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Apples, melons, cranberries, pumpkins, squash, broccoli, almonds
, What crops benefit from bee pollination, but do not require bees to set fruit? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Parthenocarpy crops (Bananas and pineapples)
What crops do not require bees at all to pollinate? - CORRECT ANSWER-Monoculture
crops (Alfalfa, cotton, corn, soybean, sugar cane, tobacco, and rice
What do bees forage for outside the hive? - CORRECT ANSWER-Water, Nectar,
Pollen, Resins and Saps
How do they transport what they forage for? - CORRECT 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? - CORRECT 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
d. Propolis - seal cracks and fill crevices
What changes, if any, do the bees make to the items they forage for? - CORRECT
ANSWER-a. Bee Bread - Mixture of pollen, nectar, saliva, and water used to feed
developing larvae
b. Honey- Nectar is transferred to house bees which blow bubbles into the nectar and
add enzymes such as invertase and glucose oxidase to make it into honey.
c. Propolis - workers chew the resins, combine it with beeswax and stomach content
depending on how and where they want to use it.
What does nectar provide? - CORRECT ANSWER-energy
What does pollen provide? - CORRECT ANSWER-Protein, amino acids, lipids, and
minerals
How far do bees fly when foraging? - CORRECT ANSWER-3 miles one way to
preferred pollen or nectar source. Usually more like 1.5 miles.
What are the different segments of the bee? - CORRECT ANSWER-Head, Thorax,
Abdomen
What primary structures (organs and glands) are located in each segment? What are
their functions? - CORRECT ANSWER-a. Head (eyes, antenna, mandible/ jaw,
proboscis, complex brain, glands)
b. Thorax (Wings and legs)
c. Abdomen (Wax and scent glands [workers only], stinger [workers and queen only])
