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Competency Guides

Detailed guides to the 15 competency areas in the BeeEducated Practical Beekeeper Standard.

A beekeeper holds a busy frame of worker honey bees and comb for inspection.
C1

Colony inspection, records and management decisions

Inspect proportionately, record accurately, interpret colony condition and make reasoned management decisions.

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Beekeepers wearing protective clothing and gloves inspect a frame of honey bees above an open hive.
C2

Biosecurity

Apply effective, proportionate biosecurity in routine beekeeping and higher-risk situations.

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Honey bees clustered around the entrance and front face of a wooden hive in grassland.
C3

Seasonal colony management and overwintering

Manage colonies through spring build-up, the active season, dearth, autumn preparation and winter.

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Worker honey bees moving across open honeycomb cells during an inspection.
C4

Nutrition, feeding and stores

Assess stores and nutritional status and make appropriate feeding decisions while managing associated risks.

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A honey bee swarm clustered on a leafy tree branch.
C5

Swarm prevention, control and colony reproduction

Recognise swarm preparation, manage swarm risk and use appropriate control or increase methods.

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A white-marked honey bee queen surrounded by worker bees on honeycomb.
C6

Queen status and colony recovery

Assess queen status from colony evidence and choose proportionate recovery actions when queen performance or mating fails.

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A white-marked honey bee queen surrounded by worker bees on honeycomb.
C7

Selective breeding, queen rearing and introduction

Select suitable breeding material, rear queens at an appropriate scale and introduce queens successfully.

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Close-up of capped brood and open cells being examined during a honey bee health inspection.
C8

Varroa and parasitic mite management

Monitor mite pressure, interpret results, choose proportionate controls and review outcomes.

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Open brood comb being examined closely during a honey bee health inspection.
C9

Adult and brood bee health

Recognise normal and abnormal signs, investigate possible causes and know when specialist, laboratory or statutory support is required.

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A large cluster of honey bees gathered on the front of a wooden hive.
C10

Establishing, increasing, uniting and moving colonies

Create viable increases, establish colonies, unite safely and move bees with appropriate planning and biosecurity.

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Worker honey bees clustered along the top bar of a hive frame in an apiary.
C11

Honey production, harvesting and selling

Assess crop readiness, harvest hygienically, process and store honey, and understand current requirements for selling.

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A honey bee frame containing a broad area of capped brood with adult bees on the comb.
C12

Hive, comb and equipment management

Select, maintain, clean, store and replace equipment and comb according to colony health, disease risk and management objectives.

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Beekeepers wearing protective clothing and gloves inspect a frame of honey bees above an open hive.
C13

Apiary management and safe working

Site and manage apiaries responsibly and work safely around bees, equipment, people, livestock and the public.

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Close-up of capped brood and open cells being examined during a honey bee health inspection.
C14

Exotic pests, invasive species and statutory responsibilities

Maintain surveillance for important threats, recognise suspicious signs and respond appropriately to statutory or inspector-led requirements.

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Beekeeper holding a densely covered honey bee frame during a practical colony inspection.
C15

Reflective, responsible and evidence-led practice

Review outcomes, recognise limits, use reliable information and adapt decisions rather than following a rigid calendar.

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