ENVS*2210 Apiculture & Honey Bee Biology - Honey Bee Research Centre

Undergraduate Course

Each year, over 500 University of Guelph students enroll in the Apiculture & Honey Bee Biology course taught by Dr. Ernesto Guzman. Dr. Guzman is a sought after speaker at international conferences and meetings about honey bee genetics, diseases and honey bee behaviour.

ENVS*2210 Apiculture & Honey Bee Biology F,W (3-0) [0.50]

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the broad field of beekeeping. It will include honey bee biology and behaviour, management for honey production, products of the hive, pests and the value of bees as pollinators of agricultural crops.

Fall Semester: Lectures and two hands-on labs.
Winter Semester: Offered through Distance Education format through School of Environmental Sciences.

University of Guelph students can register through WebAdvisor. Registration for others can be found at Open Learning and Educational Support.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

Identify and describe the fundamentals and scientific basis of beekeeping
Recognize biological principles applicable to many organisms by using the honey bee as a study subject
Appreciate the importance of honey bees as beneficial insects involved in food production and in ecosystem sustainability
Explain management practices involved in keeping honey bees healthy and productive
Search, interpret, discuss and communicate in writing aspects of scientific literature relating to honey bee biology

Course Topics

Honey Bees and Beekeeping
Development, Structure and Functions of Honey Bees
Honey Bee Types, Nests and Colony Cycle
Foraging, Queens and Mating
Colony Reproduction and Sex Determination
Honey Bee Adaptation and Diversity: Races, Strains and Hybrids
Beekeeping: What’s needed?
Managing the Bees
Honey Production and Pre-Winter Management
Other Products and Benefits from Bees
Diseases and Parasites
Pests and Pesticides