Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
24/07/2026 4:39 AM AWST
24/07/2026 4:39 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Re-queen a honey bee colony
Re-queen a honey bee colony
Unit of competency
National Code
AHCBEK303A
AHCBEK303A
State Code
D6681
D6681
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
06/12/2011
Field of Education
050105 - Animal Husbandry
Original Release Date
06/12/2011
Nominal Hours
30
Description
This unit covers the process of requeening a honey bee colony with a replacement queen, and defines the standard required to: identify need to requeen, breed and select for replacement queen bee and place in hive; monitor activity of new queen bee and threat of competition.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Identify requirement to requeen a colony
- 1.1. Vigour of the current queen is assessed.
- 1.2. Colony is monitored for signs that indicate queen replacement is necessary.
2. Prepare to requeen a colony
- 2.1. Replacement queens that meet enterprise criteria are obtained from a commercial supplier or from own breeding stock.
- 2.2. Replacement queens and any escort worker bees are stored in appropriate conditions and monitored until requeening is undertaken.
- 2.3. Hive is monitored to ensure requeening occurs under optimum conditions.
- 2.4. Replacement queen is confirmed as being healthy and free from parasites.
3. Introduce replacement queen bee
- 3.1. Old queen bee is located in the hive and removed.
- 3.2. Where queen bee has been raised in a nucleus colony, either nucleus colony is placed on top of colony to be requeened, and the two colonies separated by a single layer of paper, or queen bee is caught and introduced into another colony.
- 3.3. Hive is left undisturbed for a period of ten days.
4. Monitor progress of a replacement queen bee
- 4.1. After ten days, the hive is monitored for acceptance of replacement queen bee by colony.
- 4.2. Replacement queen bee is monitored for evidence of egg laying and adequate levels of hatching.
RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.
Honey bee colony may include:
all commercial types and strains of bees.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.
Honey bee colony may include:
all commercial types and strains of bees.
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 need to requeen
breed and select for replacement queen bee and place in hive
monitor activity of new queen bee and threat of competition.
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.
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 need to requeen
breed and select for replacement queen bee and place in hive
monitor activity of new queen bee and threat of competition.
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.
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAT74 | AHCBEK303 | Re-queen a honey bee colony | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| D533 | AHC32010 | Certificate III in Beekeeping | Qualification |