Honeybee Forage Quiz

Quiz 5 - Forage

This is a 12 question multiple choice quiz, select the correct answers!

What are the main sources of good honeybee forage?
1. A range of trees, shrubs, flowers and farm crops across the seasons.
2. A range of trees, shrubs, crops and waste bins.
3. Any sources of sweet sugary items including wate bins and rubbisj tips.
4. Bees will forage on anything at all within distance from the hive.
What is known as the 'June Gap'?
1. A period in June when the beekeeper can take a couple of weeks off.
2. The period between May and July when the bees are resting.
3. The period in June when spring flowers have finished and the summers flowers are not yet in bloom.
4. The period in June when foraging stops and swarming starts.
Which are normally the first sources of pollen in the spring?
1. Daffodils, tulips, and gorse are the first.
2. Sycamore, Lime, willow , heather, and iris are the first to bloom.
3. Early flowering snow drops, and crocus, then hazel, willow, and alder, followed by sycamore.
4. Elderberry, gorse, heather, and snow drops.
Are there any drawbacks big field of single species crops?
1. No, they offer very good forage potential and a big honey crop.
2. No drawbacks, they produce all the bees dietary needs.
3. No, it helps the bees buildup there numbers in the hive.
4. Yes, it lacks the variety of pollen and nectar normally neccessary for healthy brood.
What are the dangers associated with taking off a spring crop of honey'?
1. The June gap, summer flower forage dependant on weather, maximum colony strength.
2. The bees have not had time to propely mature the honey.
3. The colony becomes overcrowded without the honey supers to rest in.
4. The colony becomes very bad tempered and difficult to manage.
What is the critical factor for summer forage?
1. The length of days and amount of sunshine hours.
2. The weather, too hot or too wet affects pollen and nectar availability.
3. The distance summer flowers are from the apiary.
4. The variety of different species available in the forage area.
What are the main considerations for late autumn stores of honey?
1. To take the crop off and extract it as soon as possible.
2. Getting the honey extracted, jarred and stored safely at home.
3. Taking the crop off and feeding the colony up for winter.
4. Only taking half the crop off and leaving the rest for the bees.
Can you feed heavy syrup to the colony right through winter?
1. Yes, they will only take what food they need.
2. Yes, they will store any that they don't immediately eat right through winter.
3. Yes, it keeps well so keep feeding it whether they need it or not.
4. No, they cannot convert it below 8 degrees C and it will go off.
When it is too cold for syrup feed what else should you use?
1. Fondant, candy or sugar bags can be used right through the winter.
2. Any sweet sugary substances can be fed to your bees.
3. Use any old collected honey that you haven't extracted or jarred.
4. Pour heavy syrup directly into the brood box so the colony can reach it.
What must you check for when artificially feeding your colonies in winter?
1. Only check that there is enough feed to last all winter.
2. There is no need to check once you have put the feed in.
3. Check that there is enough and that the bees have direct access to it.
4. Check that they are taking it down into the hive.
Apart from feed, what other things should you check for in winter?
1. Check that the entrance is completely closed to stop draughts.
2. Leave the crown board off to allow a good flow of air through the hive.
3. Keep mice out with guards, stop all draughts, close up open mesh floors.
4. Put a mouse trap inside each hive to catch mice.
Where should fondant, candy or sugar bags be placed in the hive?
1. Remove a few brood frames and put the feed in the gap.
2. Put an extra empty super on top of the crown board to contain the feed.
3. Remove the outer frames on one side of the brood, put the feed there.
4. Use an Eke and place the feed directly on top of the brood frames.

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