BBKA Basic Assessment

[reigate]

I spent last season as a beginner with my local association going through the Colony each week. I would like to move on to the basic assessment this year. Is this possible or do I have
to have kept my own bees before taking the assessment.?

 

[B+.]

I spent last season as a beginner with my local association going through the Colony each week. I would like to move on to the basic assessment this year. Is this possible or do I have
to have kept my own bees before taking the assessment.?

There are some practical things you need to demonstrate (identification of queen, workers, drone and brood. pollen, honey, etc) so, if you have access to an association colony, that might suffice.
You also have to be able to make a frame so it all tends to suggest that you should have access to bees

 

[pargyle]

I spent last season as a beginner with my local association going through the Colony each week. I would like to move on to the basic assessment this year. Is this possible or do I have
to have kept my own bees before taking the assessment.?

Basic requirement is that you have to have kept at least one colony of bees for one year ... could be open to interpretation if you have been solely responsible for the colony you looked after. As you will, probably, book your basic assessment through your association you should consult with them about whether the association hive qualifies.

 

[Millet]

There are some practical things you need to demonstrate (identification of queen, workers, drone and brood. pollen, honey, etc) so, if you have access to an association colony, that might suffice.
You also have to be able to make a frame so it all tends to suggest that you should have access to bees

Does that cover if she is a tiny drone laying Queen smaller than a worker..

 

[B+.]

Does that cover if she is a tiny drone laying Queen smaller than a worker..

All the better if you can find her ;-)

 

[coffindodger]

All the better if you can find her ;-)

When I did mine a few years ago, I was giving it large about being careful to check under the crown board for the queen (examiner's hive no super/QE). I lifted up the board and there were two bees on the underside; one was the queen. Phew!

 

[B+.]

When I did mine a few years ago, I was giving it large about being careful to check under the crown board for the queen (examiner's hive no super/QE). I lifted up the board and there were two bees on the underside; one was the queen. Phew!

I did mine a long time ago. When I look back, I'm horrified at how little I knew...but, I passed.

 

[birdsandbees]

Basic requirement is that you have to have kept at least one colony of bees for one year ... could be open to interpretation if you have been solely responsible for the colony you looked after. As you will, probably, book your basic assessment through your association you should consult with them about whether the association hive qualifies.

I was under the impression that you just had to have kept bees for a year, that doesn't necessarily equate to the same colony, that person could be a terrible beekeeper and have killed off a number of colonies in that time
And from what I've heard from those that have done the basic, be prepared to only give the answers that they want, there may be more than one way to do something but they only want the BBKA answer.

 

[For want of a better word]

I was under the impression that you just had to have kept bees for a year, that doesn't necessarily equate to the same colony, that person could be a terrible beekeeper and have killed off a number of colonies in that time
And from what I've heard from those that have done the basic, be prepared to only give the answers that they want, there may be more than one way to do something but they only want the BBKA answer.

Make sure you wear filthy leather gauntlets and show a reasonable amount of fear.... keep your hive tool in your hand at all times... and do not put any boxes on the ground... put then on a board.

Never heard of anyone failing.... although I have witnessed a number of so called " Master Beekeepers" who should have!!!!

 

[B+.]

there may be more than one way to do something but they only want the BBKA answer.

Even if your way is far superior, they ONLY want their way. Anyone who doubts that should read this thread (https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=39682 )

 

[oliver90owner]

And ... if they still have that stupid question of: “How much honey is stored in a brood frame?”

Do answer “None”. Bees cannot store honey if it full of brood. Or you could reply
“Would that be a shallow, deep or extra-deep (jumbo, 14 x 12)?

They were idiots when they set questions like that, so could well still be!

If you think I am exaggerating or making it up, I’m not.

 

[masterBK]

A basic examiner is trained not to impose their own ideas on the candidate and to accept any valid alternative answer to any question. The question referred to about how much honey stored in a brood frame is just poor use of wording. Interestingly this topic is actually not in the syllabus nor on any of the assessment sheets used by Basic examiners so I do believe O90owner is making it up to use as a way of knocking the good work BBKA Basic examiners put in! However if it was a real question, I'm sure most candidates are not pedants and would know what the examiner was getting at. How much honey/syrup can be stored in a frame in the broodchamber is an important bit of information when working out how long stores will last and how much extra sugar syrup needs to be fed to get the colony through winter and should be common knowledge. The candidate are always examined on a hive type they are familiar with so should be know what type of frame they are handling . Also the colony provided for the candidate should have at least one super (perhaps not in the welsh version in the case of coffindodger?)

 

[For want of a better word]

Even if your way is far superior, they ONLY want their way. Anyone who doubts that should read this thread (https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=39682 )

That was a thread that went totally !......

However someone on here stated that the Basic Assessment was no longer a requirement to take other modules... if that is the way you want to prove your skills in beekeeping?

 

[B+.]

That was a thread that went totally !......

However someone on here stated that the Basic Assessment was no longer a requirement to take other modules... if that is the way you want to prove your skills in beekeeping?

Not true. It actually showed how prejudice BBKA are.
The Basic is required to take the Bee Breeders certificate

 

[B+.]

A basic examiner is trained not to impose their own ideas on the candidate and to accept any valid alternative answer to any question.

At the risk of re-opening old wounds, the BBKA have some pretty screwy ideas (especially about bee breeding)

 

[For want of a better word]

At the risk of re-opening old wounds, the BBKA have some pretty screwy ideas (especially about bee breeding)

 

[pargyle]

Actually - My experience of the Basic was pretty good. There's not many people who are as off the wall as I am with my beekeeping. I made up a foundationless frame with wires.. I talked about the way I keep bees - far away from the BBKA ideas. I was expecting a rough ride and criticism but got none. I passed .. the questions asked were sensible and just seemed designed to probe whether I knew one end of a colony from the other - to have some idea of the life of bees and the various problems that face a beekeeper.

I think it depends to some extent on the assessor. The one I had was as well up on modern beekeeping as many are on this forum .. we talked about insulation, treatments (and non-treatment) - we even touched on OA by sublimation.

I'm no fan of the BBKA and I think the modules are something I would never consider - but the Basic .. not a bad experience if you want confirmation that you have some ability and are at least competent to keep bees.

 

[oliver90owner]

A basic examiner is trained not to impose their own ideas on the candidate and to accept any valid alternative answer to any question. The question referred to about how much honey stored in a brood frame is just poor use of wording. Interestingly this topic is actually not in the syllabus nor on any of the assessment sheets used by Basic examiners so I do believe O90owner is making it up to use as a way of knocking the good work BBKA Basic examiners put in! However if it was a real question, I'm sure most candidates are not pedants and would know what the examiner was getting at. How much honey/syrup can be stored in a frame in the broodchamber is an important bit of information when working out how long stores will last and how much extra sugar syrup needs to be fed to get the colony through winter and should be common knowledge. The candidate are always examined on a hive type they are familiar with so should be know what type of frame they are handling . Also the colony provided for the candidate should have at least one super (perhaps not in the welsh version in the case of coffindodger?)

No, not making it up at all. It was one of the stupid questions taken directly from a past paper. Not sure of the level - could even have been a ‘master beekeeper’ type level. They are probably still asking how to properly use matchsticks under the crownboard, for all I know!

In most exams you don’t get marks if you can’t understand the question and give a completely wrong answer on another topic (although there are exceptions, when examining boards have realised that the question was ambiguous or too easily mistaken). I know it happened in a Biology A level paper in 1967. I answered correctly, but likely 80% or more gave a different response when meiosis and mitosis were mixed up by many examinees.

I once had a question which, while referring to a 1MW wind turbine, asked how much power it would supply if one doubled the rotor diameter. The correct answer is not 4MW. The question may have been ‘how much would the power increase?’ - I can’t remember, but the answer to that question would not be 3MW, either.

 

[For want of a better word]

No, not making it up at all. It was one of the stupid questions taken directly from a past paper. Not sure of the level - could even have been a ‘master beekeeper’ type level. They are probably still asking how to properly use matchsticks under the crownboard, for all I know!

In most exams you don’t get marks if you can’t understand the question and give a completely wrong answer on another topic (although there are exceptions, when examining boards have realised that the question was ambiguous or too easily mistaken). I know it happened in a Biology A level paper in 1967. I answered correctly, but likely 80% or more gave a different response when meiosis and mitosis were mixed up by many examinees.

I once had a question which, while referring to a 1MW wind turbine, asked how much power it would supply if one doubled the rotor diameter. The correct answer is not 4MW. The question may have been ‘how much would the power increase?’ - I can’t remember, but the answer to that question would not be 3MW, either.

None if there was no wind!!!

Loads of blots on the landscape in W Cornwall... one of the windiest places on the planet... even hot air from underground ....apparently!!

 

[Finman]

And ... if they still have that stupid question of: “How much honey is stored in a brood frame?”

Do answer “None”. Bees cannot store honey if it full of brood. Or you could reply
“Would that be a shallow, deep or extra-deep (jumbo, 14 x 12)?

They were idiots when they set questions like that, so could well still be!

If you think I am exaggerating or making it up, I’m not.

Most of brood frames have arch of honey, at least in spring and in autumn.
In double brood upper box may have 3 frames full if honey.

Question is stupid, and the answer more stupid...

I use to extract brood frames in late summer.

What idea is even ask that?.