Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the selection and establishment of an apiary site and defines the standard required to: identify flora and assess its productivity including its potential for pollen and nectar flow; communicate with land owners/managers; determine site selection criteria including the potential productivity of flora; select apiary location to meet the nutritional requirements of colony.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to beekeepers.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Plan to select and establish an apiary site

1.1. Criteria for selecting a site are established.

1.2. Suitable locality in which to search for site is identified.

1.3. Suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is selected and checked prior to use.

1.4. Tools and equipment required to select and establish an apiary site are selected and checked prior to use.

1.5. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards associated with selecting and establishing an apiary site are identified and actions are taken to minimise risk to self and others.

2. Select the apiary site

2.1. Detailed information about potential sites in selected locality is gathered and analysed using site selection criteria.

2.2. Capacity of available flora to support desired number of hives at site is determined.

2.3. Most suitable site(s) is selected.

2.4. Precise area(s) within site to place hives is selected taking into account proximity to flora, water, gates, stockyards and movement of the sun.

2.5. Permission to locate beehives at site is obtained from land owner or manager.

3. Establish the apiary at the selected sit

3.1. Access of bees to floral sources and water is monitored and hives are repositioned as required or a new site is sought.

3.2. Where required, supplementary feeds of nectar and/or protein substitutes are provided at concentration and frequency required by bees to obtain desired results.

3.3. Results of inspections and any remedial action taken are recorded and used as basis for future beekeeping operations.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• hazard identification and risk assessment
• bush sense
• correct manual handling
• loading and unloading beehives
• map reading
• use literacy skills to read, interpret and follow organisational policies and procedures, develop sequenced written instructions, record accurately and legibly information collected and select and apply procedures to a range of tasks
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification, negotiating solutions and responding to a range of views
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine and more complex workplace measures and data
• use interpersonal skills to work with others and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• potential productivity of flora, including its potential for pollen and nectar flow
• nutritional requirements of colony
• sources of information about potential sites
• residue risks in honey
• OHS and environmental legislation, codes of practice and enterprise procedures.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• identify flora and assess its productivity including its potential for pollen and nectar flow
• communicate with land owners/managers
• determine site selection criteria including the potential productivity of flora
• select apiary location to meet the nutritional requirements of colony.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Apiaries may include:

• the range of apiaries and production systems in commercial honey production.

Unit sector 

Beekeeping

Co-requisite units 

Competency field