M6: Obs Hive?

[itma]

In 2006 and 2007, the Module 6 exam (on "Bee Behaviour") had questions on running Observation Hives.
They asked about the location, set-up, stocking and maintenance in one case of a private and the other a public obs hive ("from May to September").


1/ Is this something that has dropped out of the syllabus, or could it still be asked? (There is no specific mention in the current or ancient {Yates 1st ed} syllabuses that I've seen.)

2/ Or is it just a question about congestion and swarming?
In which case, wtf is the difference between public and private?

3/ Any good instantly-available guides to running an obs hive?

 

[Black Comb]

It's in the Mod 8 syllabus these days and there was a question in the Mar 14 Mod 8 paper.

 

[alanf]

In 2006 and 2007, the Module 6 exam (on "Bee Behaviour") had questions on running Observation Hives.
They asked about the location, set-up, stocking and maintenance in one case of a private and the other a public obs hive ("from May to September").


1/ Is this something that has dropped out of the syllabus, or could it still be asked? (There is no specific mention in the current or ancient {Yates 1st ed} syllabuses that I've seen.)

2/ Or is it just a question about congestion and swarming?
In which case, wtf is the difference between public and private?

3/ Any good instantly-available guides to running an obs hive?

The current syllabus lists

published September 1995
revised April 1996
revised March 2001
major revision April 2004
revised April 2007
revised April 2009
major revision April 2010
revised April 2013

I have a saved copy after the 2010 revision. No mention of observation hives but that could have been removed in any of three revisions since early 2007. Without any syllabus guide, it's speculation as to what they're looking for. The phrasing in 2006 is "for public viewing from May to September". Is that daily viewing or periodic showing during the period? Very different setup for a static hive compared with sealing and transporting to shows. The 2007 phrasing is "for the beekeeper's own use", which leaves open the question what a beekeeper would use it for, LASI ran some for waggle dance analysis for instance but having maximum comb surfaces exposed for recording could be different from observing other factors.

Writing down all the options anyone could think of in the time allowed for a 10 mark question is a big ask. It could be that the syllabus was modified because of how these were answered. Or not answered, in that the 2007 question is the one I'd avoid as being least obvious what's expected.

 

[itma]

Thanks for those thoughts. I'll forget obs hives for this week!