19887 version 2
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Identify disease in a bee colony, and conduct apiary site management in
the presence of disease
Level
2
Credits
4
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: carry out beehive
inspections, and identify the signs of a healthy bee colony; and identify the
signs of ill health and disease in a bee colony, carry out disinfection
requirements, and conduct apiary site management in the presence of
disease.
Subfield
Agriculture
Domain
Apiculture
Status
Registered
Status date
21 August 2009
Date version published
21 August 2009
Planned review date
31 December 2014
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Primary Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0052
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
Legislation includes but is not limited to the – Health and Safety in Employment Act
1992, Biosecurity Act 1993, Biosecurity (National American Foulbrood Pest
Management Strategy) Order 1998, and their subsequent amendments.
2
Industry procedures are those specified in the following references – Goodwin, Mark,
Elimination of American Foulbrood Disease Without The Use of Drugs: A Practical
Manual for Beekeepers (Otaki, New Zealand: National Beekeepers Association of
New Zealand Inc., revised edition 2006) (also referred to as The Beekeeper’s
Manual); and Goodwin, Mark and Taylor, Michelle, Control of Varroa – A Guide for
New Zealand Beekeepers (Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry, revised edition 2007).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
19887 version 2
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All references are available from the National Beekeepers Association of NZ (Inc)
(NBA) website at http://www.nba.org.nz, or email secretary@nba.org.nz.
3
Definition
In-house procedures refer to verbal or written instructions to staff on procedures for
disease management in a beehive or apiary, and must comply with legislative
requirements.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Carry out beehive inspections, and identify the signs of a healthy bee colony.
Performance criteria
1.1
A healthy bee colony is identified according to the visible characteristics.
Range
1.2
characteristics of good health include but are not limited to –
amount and distribution of brood - eggs, larvae, pupae;
colour of larvae, shape of brood cappings, population of bees,
behaviour of adult bees, amount of food stores.
Inspection of beehives is carried out with minimum disturbance to the bee
colony, and in accordance with industry and in-house procedures.
Range
evidence is required for inspection of at least five beehives.
Element 2
Identify the signs of ill health and disease in a bee colony, carry out disinfection
requirements, and conduct apiary site management in the presence of disease.
Performance criteria
2.1
Ill health in a bee colony is identified in accordance with the visible
characteristics.
Range
2.2
characteristics of ill health include but are not limited to – dead
bees; reduced population; smell, colour and consistency of dead
larvae and pupae; colour and perforations of capped brood;
appearance of cappings; presence of scale.
Common diseases or disorders found in a bee colony are identified and
differentiated by their features.
Range
diseases – American foulbrood, sacbrood, chalkbrood, parasitic
mite syndrome, half moon syndrome, wax moth;
disorders – starvation, heated brood, chilled brood, varroa mite;
evidence is required for at least three of each.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
19887 version 2
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2.3
Disinfection of personal gear is carried out in accordance with in-house
procedures.
Range
hive tool, smoker, gloves.
2.4
Apiary site, and beehive management in the presence of disease is carried out
in accordance with in-house procedures and The Beekeeper’s Manual.
2.5
Apiary records are maintained in accordance with in-house procedures.
Range
2.6
includes but is not limited to – field notebook.
Checking for the presence of varroa mite is carried out in accordance with inhouse procedures.
Range
by two of – sampling, visual inspection (bees, brood), ether roll,
soapy water or alcohol, sugar shake, mesh bottom boards;
chemical detection with – Apistan, Bayvarol, formic acid.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation standards@primaryito.ac.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016