The Apiary Attendance Level Four (4) qualification consists of competencies that a person must achieve to demonstrate bee biology and behaviour, establish an apiary, manage bee forage resources, manage honey bee swarms, manage honey bee colony, control honey bee pests and diseases and harvest bee products within the institution’s/organizations acceptable standard operating procedures (SOPs).

View Curriculum 'Apiary Attendance, Level 4'

Apiary Establishment and Management

UNIT CODE: AGR/CU/API/CR/02/4/A

Relationship to Occupational StandardsThis unit addresses the unit of competency: Establish an apiary

This unit specifies the competencies required to establish an apiary. It involves selecting apiary site, clearing apiary site, fencing apiary site, preparing bee hives, installing bee hives and constructing bee house.

Bee biology and behaviour

This course addresses the competencies required to demonstrate understanding of bee biology and behaviour. It involves demonstrating understanding of bee keeping industry in Kenya, identifying bee races, demonstrating understanding of bee lifecycle and caste, demonstrating understanding of the physiological system of bees, determining bee nutrition and demonstrating the understanding of bee behaviour.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate understanding of bee keeping industry in Kenya

  2. Identify bee races

  3. Demonstrate understanding of bee lifecycle and caste

  4. Demonstrate understanding of the physiological system of bees

  5. Determine bee nutrition

  6. Demonstrate the understanding of bee behaviour


Bee Forage Resources and Management

This course addresses the competencies required to manage bee forage resources. It involves identifying suitable bee forage, establishing bee forage resources, conserving forage resources and developing a beekeeping floral calendar.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify suitable bee forage

  2. Establish bee forage resources

  3. Develop a beekeeping floral calendar

  4. Conserve bee forage resources

  5. Honey bee pollination


Bee Products Harvesting

This unit specifies the competencies required to harvest bee products. It involves preparing to harvest bee products, conducting bee product harvesting, extracting bee products and performing post-harvest practices.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

  1. Prepare to harvest bee products

  2. Conduct bee product Harvesting

  3. Extract bee products

  4. Perform post-harvest practices

Honey Bee Colony Management

This course addresses the competencies required to manage honey bee colony. It involves preparing for honey bee colony manipulation, handling honey bee combs, handling honey bee colonies, rearing queen bees and performing post-manipulation practices.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

  1. Prepare for honey bee colony manipulation

  2. Handle honey bee combs

  3. Handle honey bee colony

  4. Rear queen bees

  5. Perform post-manipulation practices

Honey Bee Pests and Disease Control

This unit specifies the competencies required to control pests and disease within a honey bee colony. It involves inspecting the bee colony, assessing health and condition of bee brood, assessing health and condition of adult bees and identifying and managing bee pests and diseases.

Summary of Learning Outcomes

  1. Prepare to inspect the bee colony/apiary

  2. Assess health and condition of bee brood

  3. Assess health and condition of adult bees

  4. Manage bee pests and diseases

Honey Bee Swarm Management

This course addresses the competencies required to manage honey bee swarms. It involves preparing to catch/trap a swarm of honey bees, catching/trapping a swarm of honey bees and managing swarming behaviour in a honey bee colony

Summary of Learning Outcomes

  1. Prepare to catch/trap a swarm of honey bees

  2. Catch/trap a swarm of honey bees

  3. Perform post-trapping activities