Spring 2006
Dr. Dan Margolies
Office:
Blocker 31
Office Hours:
M, 4:30-6:00, T, 3-5; W, 4:30-6; TH, 11-1; 3-5,
or
by appointment. Come on by!
Email: dmargolies@vwc.edu
Webpage: http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~dmargolies/
Phone: 455-5716
Class meeting: Friday, 12:30-1:20
Course Overview:
This course is an
introduction to the history, technique, biology, and practices of
apiculture. It is intended to be an
introduction to the fundamentals and pleasures of keeping bees as either a
hobby or a business as well as a strong introduction to the biology of
bees. We will learn about the long
history of beekeeping around the world, the various metaphorical and cultural
meanings assigned to bees and beekeeping over time, the development of the
Langstroth hive, and the theories behind the most modern hive management
practices such as Integrated Pest Management.
We will cover essentials such as building of hive components, supers,
and frames, the capture of swarms, the installation of packaged bees,
management of the hive throughout the seasons, requeening, and the harvesting
of a honey crop. We will also cover
basics of bee biology and hive organization, and the critically important
methods of preventing disease and maintaining a healthy, productive colony.
Course Requirements:
This course will be a
combination of lecture and discussion with much hands-on work building
equipment and managing hives. After we
learn the history of beekeeping and the biology of bees, the package bees will
arrive in the spring. We will install
these bees in the hives produced during the course of the class and manage the
hives in the Virginia Wesleyan apiary.
Regular attendance in
class is mandatory, as is prompt completion of all readings and assignments by
the date assigned. There will be one
short written test and at least one practical exam to gauge your understanding
of the concepts and techniques involved in apiculture. There will be some written homework as
announced, and it is expected and required that all students dedicate time
outside class for finishing the many tasks of preparing for the spring,
including painting equipment, preparing the apirary, feeding hives as necessary,
and other tasks. Of course, there will
be much time given over to observing the bees as well.
**IMPORTANT RULES OF THE WESLEYAN APIARY**
BEE VENOM IS POTENTIALLY FATAL.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO BEE VENOM. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, CHECK WITH YOUR
ALLERGIST. YOU MAY TAKE THE CLASS IF
YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO BEE VENOM. HOWEVER,
IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU WILL GET STUNG BY A BEE.
ALL BEE STINGS SHOULD BE
TREATED WITH CAUTION BUT NOT FEAR. ALL
STUDENTS MUST BE FAMILIAR WITH THE USE OF AN EPIPEN AUTO-INJECTOR.
WITHOUT EXCEPTION, NO STUDENT MAY OPEN A BEE HIVE WITHOUT THE
FOLLOWING:
1) A PROPERLY WORN
VEIL TO PROTECT THE FACE AND
EYES
2) A LIT SMOKER
3) AN EPI-PEN
(SUPPLIED BY THE SCHOOL)
Gloves and other
protective gear are optional. As you
become comfortable with bees, you will feel the need to wear less protective
gear. However, at all times you must
wear a veil.
Required Texts:
Tammy Horn, Bees in America: How the Honey Bee Shaped the Nation
Diana Sammataro and Alphonse
Avitabile, The Beekeeper’s Handbook 3rd edition.
Mark L. Winston, From Where I Sit: Essays on Bees, Beekeeping, and Science
Recommended Texts: (for
reference)
Both
of these books are in the library.
The ABC and XYZ of Beekeeping,
by Roger Morse (any edition, but the 40th is the most recent)
Grades:
Class
Participation (discussions, lab, hands-on assignments): 80%
Tests
(practical and factual) 20%
The following grading point scale
will be used in determining your grade, subject to the discretion of the
instructor: A= 93-100; A- = 90-92; B+ = 88-89; B = 83-87; B- =
80-82; C+ = 78-79; C = 73-77; C- = 65-69; D = 50-64; F = less than 50
ACCOMMODATION
FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
In accordance with Title 5, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, reasonable accommodation will be
provided to any student who has followed the College's procedures as outlined
in the current Academic Bulletin. It
is best to begin this process by contacting the disability services
coordinator, Fayne Pearson (455-3246) at the beginning of the semester.
Once the need for accommodations has been officially established, the student
should consult with the instructor to insure that the student's needs can be
met as effectively as possible.
Weeks 1-5
Beekeeping: History and
Theory
The Hive
Effective Hive Management
techniques
Weeks 6-10
The Biology of the Bee
Bee Diseases and their
Control
Weeks 11-15
Practical Aspects of
Beekeeping
Spring Management of bee
hives
Installing new bee hives