Course Information


Course Information
Course Title Code Semester L+U Hour Credits ECTS
HONEY BEE BIOLOGY 802400715520 3 + 0 3.0 8.0

Prerequisites None

Language of Instruction Turkish
Course Level Graduate Degree
Course Type Compulsory
Mode of delivery
Course Coordinator
Instructors Halit Vasfi GENCER
Assistants
Goals This upper-level class aims to teach the details of honey bee colony life history. Based on this knowledge, students will learn how colonies function.
Course Content Classification and systematics of the honey bees, evolution of honey bees, general characteristics of honey bee (Apis) species: Apis florea, Apis dorsata, Apis cerana, geographical honey bee races: European black, Italian, Carniolan and Caucasian honey bee, anatomy and physiology of the honey bee: external structure and internal systems, metamorphosis, development and nutrition, functions of colony members, caste differentiation and sex determination, nest construction, temporal division of labour, communication, food collection, reproduction: swarming, superseding, mating
Learning Outcomes 1) Students learn general biology of other social bees, besides honey bees.
2) They are able to describe basic similarities and differences between honey bee species.
3) They know general characteristics of the most common honey bee subspecies. They get detailed knowledge on honey bee colony life history, colony members and behaviour.

Weekly Topics (Content)
Week Topics Teaching and Learning Methods and Techniques Study Materials
1. Week Classification of bees and the honey bee in biological systematics Lecture; Question Answer; Discussion
Brainstorming; Opinion Pool
 Homework Presentation (Including Preparation Time)
2. Week The evolution of the honey bee Lecture; Question Answer; Discussion
Brainstorming
 Homework
3. Week General characteristics of honey bee (Apis) species: Apis florea, Apis dorsata Lecture; Question Answer; Discussion
Brainstorming
 Homework
4. Week General characteristics of honey bee (Apis) species: Apis cerana Lecture; Problem Solving; Discussion
Brainstorming
 Homework
5. Week Economic honey bee races: European dark honey bee, Italian honey bee, Carniolan honey bee, Caucasian honey bee Lecture; Question Answer; Discussion
Brainstorming
 Homework
6. Week Anatomy and physiology of the honey bee: the external structure, internal systems Lecture; Question Answer; Discussion
Colloquium; Buzz Group
 Homework
7. Week Midterm exam Lecture; Question Answer; Discussion
Buzz Group
 Homework Presentation (Including Preparation Time)
8. Week Metamorphosis of colony members, development and nutrition, the functions of colony members Lecture; Question Answer
Brainstorming; Colloquium
 Presentation (Including Preparation Time)
9. Week Caste differentiation and sex determination Lecture; Question Answer
Brainstorming
 Homework
10. Week Nest construction Lecture; Question Answer
Colloquium; Buzz Group
 Homework
11. Week Age-related activities in worker bees Lecture; Question Answer
Colloquium; Debate
 Homework
12. Week Communication Question Answer
Buzz Group
 Presentation (Including Preparation Time)
13. Week Foraging activities Lecture
Brainstorming
 Homework
14. Week Final exam Question Answer
Debate
 Presentation (Including Preparation Time)

Sources Used in This Course
Recommended Sources
Caron, D M (1999) Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping. Wicwas Press, Connecticut, USA. 355 pp.
Davis, C F; (2004) The Honey Bee Inside Out. Bee Craft Limited; Warwickshire, Great Britain. 170 pp.
Graham, J M (1992) The Hive and the Honey Bee. Dadant and Sons; Hamilton, Illinois, USA. 1324 pp.
Winston, M L (1987) The Biology of the Honey Bee. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, UK. 281 pp.

Relations with Education Attainment Program Course Competencies
Program RequirementsContribution LevelDK1DK2DK3
PY15000
PY25000
PY35000
PY45000
PY55000

*DK = Course's Contrubution.
0 1 2 3 4 5
Level of contribution None Very Low Low Fair High Very High
.

ECTS credits and course workload
Event Quantity Duration (Hour) Total Workload (Hour)
. 8 5
Course Duration (Total weeks*Hours per week) 4 14
Work Hour outside Classroom (Preparation, strengthening) 2 14
Homework 2 8
Presentation (Including Preparation Time) 2 8
Midterm Exam 1 4
Time to prepare for Midterm Exam 7 4
Final Exam 1 4
Time to prepare for Final Exam 7 4
1 2
2 2
Dönem Sonu Sınavı (DSS) 1 2
Total Workload
Total Workload / 30 (s)
ECTS Credit of the Course
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Course Information
  • Course Information
  • Weekly Topics (Content)
  • Sources Used in This Course
  • Relations with Education Attainment Program Course Competencies
  • ECTS credits and course workload