Poorly chicken

[MedusA]

I have my date to take the Basic Exam on 25th July. Any extra special tips to help me through would be gratefully received and much appreciated.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Guest

[beesontoast]

The first thing to remember is that the examiner wants you to pass, so relax.

 

You need to be able to answer simple questions about what you can see in your hives, and demonstrate that you understand what you are looking at when you lift a frame.

 

They will want you to demonstrate that you can light and use a smoker (yuk!) and show that you can use it effectively.

 

After that, it's a matter of knowing the lifecycle and being able to recognize open brood, sealed brood, worker vs drone brood - and if you spot the queen let them know, but it is unlikely that they will expect you to be able to find her on request.

 

Stay calm, work smoothly and steadily without rushing, but don't be too slow either.

 

You will be fine!

[Olly]

Ooh, can't offer much advice, but good luck! I've applied but I left it a bit late this year, and it doesn't look as if I will get a date (there is one in August, but I'm away that weekend).

[MedusA]

Well I only put my application in last Tuesday, Olly, so it was a bit of a shock to hear two days later about the date.

 

Thanks for the advice beesontoast. I am hoping I can remain calm at the time, but anything with "exam" in the title immediately makes me a bag of nerves.

 

I am told that "Ooops, word censored!"ody from our BKA has ever failed. No pressure there then!

[Chuckov]

I've just passed my basic

If I knew then what I knew now....

 

It was basically talking through the hive with the examiner. Say what you see as you're going along and you can tick some of their boxes without them having to question you. Questions I was asked include:

- what forage is there locally right now

- how can you tell if your supers are full without taking the roof off the hive

- how would I perform an artificial swarm

- tell me what you would do with your supers full of honey

- labelling requirements and regulations

- what is the life cycle of a worker (know your timings for transition from egg to larva to pupa etc)

- tell me what you can see on this frame

- make up a frame (failed miserably, apparently I don't do it the BBKA way - but it is only worth 2 marks!)

- THOROUGH grilling on disease; what are the notifiable diseases; how would I tell if there was EFB in the hive (quite pertinent as we do have it in the area); how do you distinguish it from AFB; dark streaks down the front of the hive would be what disease; if a load of my bees were dead outside the hive what would I suspect and what would I do about it (Bee Inspector/ Spray Liaision)

 

I've just finished my first full year and have not had any honey! Nor have I had to do swarm control. So had to say in theory what I would do in those situations. Still passed though! He did give me tips and hints as I went along and so it was quite a useful learning experience to have had.

 

(FYI, went on the BBKA How to pass your Basic day at Stoneleigh this year. I have to admit that it was really very poor considering they charged for it, our Branch did an excellent job of tutoring a group of us through it instead). But on the day they said that the pass mark is 50%, although you do have to pass all sections, and well over 90% of people pass.....

 

It isn't total rocket science, it really is just basic beekeeping, they do want you to pass, they are pleased that you are interested enough in beekeeping to want to further your knowledge. I am sure you will be absolutely fine!

 

Good luck

[Chuckov]

Lin who is examining you? Do you know?

[MedusA]

Thanks for the tips Emma. It has reassured me somewhat.

 

I have been mugging up furiously. On the diseases especially.

 

Celia Davis is doing my assessment. I believe we have 5 assessors in the whole of Warwickshire, 3 of whom are at my local BKA (Bernard, Bob and Julian), so they aren't allowed to assess us. That only leaves Celia and Peter Spencer. I have met Celia a couple of times before. She was at our apiary BBQ last week so it was nice to chat to her.

 

Who did your assessment then? Congrats BTW.

[thedruggist]

So how did it go MedusA?????

 

Regards

 

Tony

[MedusA]

Thanks for asking.

 

I don't know yet. It takes about 2 weeks to get your results.

 

Some bits went well. Others not so well. Frame building went fine, but I totally messed up the taking a sample of bees in a matchbox. Nerves got the better of me and I only got 10 bees! I was really hoping I wouldn't get that task. I'd much rather have done the shaking bees off a frame. I'm sure I was also off at a tangent with some of the questions until I was prodded in the direction of the right answer. On the other hand, I think I impressed her with some of my answers, so hopefully scored a few extra brownie points. I did find it hard to concentrate on going through the hive whilst being asked questions. Obviously I can't look at bees and speak at the same time!

 

Fingers crossed.

[Lewis]

Good luck - hope you've passed!

[MedusA]

Woohoo! I heard on Tuesday that I have passed.

 

What a relief. Now I am officially a beekeeper.

[thedruggist]

Woohoo indeed, many,many congratulations. Well done!!!

 

Tony

[Daphne]

Congratulations

[Lesley]

Congratulations!!!

[Chuckov]

Well done Lin, that's great news! You do feel a bit like you should have a badge or something to fix on your bee suit a bit like swimming badges when you were little! So, will we be seeing you at a General Husbandry exam in a couple of years?

 

I have to say my beekeeping exam career starts and ends at the Basic!

 

(BTW it was Bob that did mine. I met Celia at the Branch Christmas do and was on her team for the quiz. She certainly knows her bees )

[MedusA]

Thanks for all the congratulations. I know what you mean about Celia, Chuckov. She is very knowledgeable and I certainly felt thoroughly tested even though she was very nice throughout.

 

Bob's a sweetie and very funny at Association meetings. He let me know I'd passed by extending his hand to me. When I shook it, slightly puzzled, he said "Congratulations".

[Lewis]

Well done!

[Egluntyne]

Congratulations.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Well done!!! That's a great achievement.

I'd love to try next year but I feel such a dork trying to think my way through what to do next sometimes.

This "know what you are doing at the next inspection and have a plan" never works for me. There's invariably a surprise when I lift the lid.

[MedusA]

Don't be daunted, OSH. I was in exactly the same position as you last year.

 

This is only my second season of beekeeping and I would never have been ready for the Basic at the the start of the season. By doing regular inspections on my own hive and at least 2 of the allotment hives every week, my confidence with handling the bees increased loads. If you plan your Basic for mid to late summer next year, that gives you lots of time to get comfortable with the handling part and mug up on the diseases (which count for a third of the marks). My knowledge of the diseases was very sketchy, to say the least, but now I feel I do know what to look for, having gained a bit more knowledge.

 

Our BKA had 9 Basic examinees this season (we all started beekeeping last year with the exception of one person who had been doing it for years but avoided exams), and we all passed with flying colours.