Intermediate Beekeeping Exams
Exams 2024
Exams will be held in Spring 2024. We'll post the precise date here once it's made public.
Study group
Each year, pandemics permitting, we start an Intermediate study group in autumn, once the beekeeping season quietens down. We go through old exam papers and review each other's answers to find the optimum answer for each question. Even if you decide at the end not to sit the exam, you will learn an enormous amount so it's definitely worth joining in. You have to have passed the preliminary exam as a prerequisite and there's a small charge for photocopies of the various notes (€5). For the past couple of years it's been held one evening a week in the Teagasc office, either in Dundalk or Drogheda.
Reference material
As a starting point, the information in the Beginners section is very useful. There are also many useful resources available on the web:
- BeeBase, the UK National Bee Unit is an excellent source of information, in particular the section on Advisory Leaflets, Training Manuals and Fact Sheets.
- DAFM's web page on Bee Health
- DAFM's document on Bee Pests in Ireland (PDF)
- DAFM's description of the ideal honey house (PDF)
- DAFM's leaflet on labelling of honey (PDF)
- Our locally developed Intermediate Scientific Notes E-Book that covers much of the course content, in several different formats:
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Other documents
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The Anatomy of the Honeybee by R. E. Snodgrass is one of the most highly regarded books on the subject. This book is now out of copyright so it can be downloaded for free.
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Exam information
The Intermediate cycle is composed of three exams:
FIBKA's syllabus page has the information on the three exams - click on the "Intermediate" titles, and you can access past papers too (you have to have your FIBKA ID to access these).
- The Written Practical exam - covers theory of practical beekeeping
- The Scientific exam - covers the scientific side of beekeeping
- The Apiary Practical exam - you are examined in your practical proficiency with your own bees, including how your apiary is managed
FIBKA's syllabus page has the information on the three exams - click on the "Intermediate" titles, and you can access past papers too (you have to have your FIBKA ID to access these).