Manual for Trainers of Small Scale Beekeeping Development Workers (Peace Corps, 1983, 392 p.): Session 33: Melliferous plants

Manual for Trainers of Small Scale Beekeeping Development Workers (Peace Corps, 1983, 392 p.)

		(introduction...)
		Preface
		Acknowledgments
		Introduction
		Session 1: Establishing observation hives - group resource assessment
		Session 2: Introduction to family live-in
		Session 3: Training site investigation
		Session 4: Defining expectations
		Session 5: Assembling protective clothing
		Session 6: Constructing KTBH's and preparing the apiary site
		Session 7: Bee colony cycle - introduction to Trainee facilitation
		Session 8: adult learning and an introduction to method demonstrations - basic insect anatomy
		Session 9: Communication and listening skills
		Session 10: Establishing individual nucs
		Session 11: Functional biology of the honey bee
		Session 12: Introduction to assessment and selection
		Session 13: Introduction to program evaluation
		Session 14: Bee management techniques
		Session 15: Basic nutrition
		Session 16: Types of bees and the bee-human relationship
		SESSION 17: Foraging
		Session 18: Hive design criteria and swarm boxes
		Session 19: Role of the volunteer in development
		Session 20: The bee space and types of hives
		Session 21: Obtaining bees
		Session 22: Transferring colonies
		Session 23: Family live-in analysis
		Session 24: Queen rearing
		Session 25: Health and hygiene
		Session 26: Swarming, supersedure and absconding
		Session 27: Culture shock
		Session 28: Constructing a swarm board and swarms
		Session 29: Visual aids-queen rearing preparation
		Handout 29A: Selecting communication tools
		Handout 29B: Visual aids
		Session 30: Extractors and solar wax melters
		Session 31: Women in development-the role of men and women
		Session 32: Mid-program evaluation
		Session 33: Melliferous plants
		Session 34: Preparation for site visit-information gathering
		Session 35: Site visit-follow-up and cloncusions
		Session 36: Honey
		Session 37: Other hive products
		Session 38: Anaphylactic shock
		Session 39: Introduction to the bee fair
		Session 40: Beeswax field trip
		Session 41: Bees and trees
		Session 42: Project planning and development
		Session 43: Creamed honey and beeswax products
		Session 44: Introduction to final assessment
		Session 45: Cost analysis and project evaluation
		Session 46: Bee diseases and pests
		Session 47: Insecticides and bees
		Session 48: Cooking with honey
		Session 49: Introducing innovation-expectations beyond training
		Session 50: Future training needs
		Session 51: Site restitution
		Session 52: Final program evaluation
		Appendices

Session 33: Melliferous plants

Trainer Note

· This is a Trainee-facilitated session. See Session 7, "Bee Colony Cycle", for guidelines.

TOTAL TIME

2 hours

OVERVIEW

Melliferous plants and bees are the key components of any beekeeping venture. It is important to understand the plant-bee interaction, as well as the basic biology of the plant. The effects of this relationship on the plant and the bee are examined and reviewed. This session provides the
Trainees with the background to explore the beekeeping potential of an area, to recognize major bee-plant groups and determine the various major plant sources of honey.

OBJECTIVES

· To examine basic floral anatomy.

· To discuss pollination and cross-pollination.

· To examine the role of the bee in plant pollination.

· To examine the characteristics of a "good" honey plant.

RESOURCES

- Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants, pp. 1-18, 23-45.
- Source Materials for Apiculture #3.
- A Book of Honey, pp. 7-38.
- Tropical Legumes: Resources for the Future
- Beekeeping in the United States, pp. 73-77, 107-118.
- Firewood Crops: Shrubs and Tree Species for Energy Production
- The Hive and the Honey Bee, Chapters 8, 9 and 20.
- Forestry Training Manual, Session 32.
- Exotic Plants for House and Garden
- The Dancing Bees, Chapters 3, 8 and 9.

MATERIALS

hand lens, unlabeled schematic drawing of a flower, different examples of "bee attractive" plants (or pictures or slides), unlabeled schematic drawing

PROCEDURES

Step 1: Floral Anatomy (30 minutes)

Pass out a flower to each Trainee. Have each Trainee examine their flower and identify the various anatomical structures. Explain and discuss the structures. Post the schematic drawing and have the group label the various floral structures.

Touch on the fact that the Leguminosae and Compositae plant families contain major beeplants in most parts of the world. Discuss, through the use of examples or pictures, the important characteristics which distinguish these families.

Trainer Note

· Resources for the schematic drawing are The Hive and the Honey Bee, p. 585; A Book of Honey, p. 20; Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants, p. 9; Beekeeping in the United States, p. 108-114.

· Do not allow this step to become too academic. Allow the interests and needs of the group to determine the amount of detail necessary.

Step 2: Field Excursion (1 hour, 15 minutes)

Direct a "nature walk". Encourage the Trainees to observe, examine and share their questions and observations with the group. While on the walk have the Trainees:

- collect, dissect and identify floral structures, using a hand lens
- define plant pollination and cross pollination
- examine the role of the bee in the pollinating process
- identify bees collecting nectar and pollen
- discuss factors which make flowers attractive to bees
- outline the multi-purpose use of plants and
- find and identify Composites and Legumes.

Encourage interested Trainees to collect, examine and identify plants used by bees throughout the training program and to share their observations with the group.

Step 3: Session Evaluation (15 minutes)

Trainer Note

· See Steps 5 and 6 of Session 7, "Bee Colony Cycle".