Bee-Keeping and Honey Production - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Chapter: Improvement in Food Resources | Topic: Bee Keeping and Honey Production
BEE-KEEPING AND HONEY PRODUCTION - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Topic: Bee Keeping and Honey Production
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Bee-keeping is also known as:
- Sericulture
- Apiculture
- Pisciculture
- Horticulture
Q2. The most commonly domesticated honey bee species in India is:
- Apis dorsata (rock bee)
- Apis mellifera (Italian bee) and Apis cerana indica (Indian bee)
- Bumblebee
- Stingless bee
Q3. Honey bees are important for agriculture because they:
- Eat pests
- Help in pollination of crops, leading to better fruit and seed production
- Produce wax for roads
- Make the soil fertile
Q4. Which of the following is a product obtained from bee-keeping besides honey?
- Milk
- Beeswax, used in candles, cosmetics, and polishes
- Cotton
- Rubber
Q5. Italian bees (Apis mellifera) are preferred by Indian beekeepers because they:
- Are larger and more aggressive
- Have high honey collection capacity, are less aggressive, and breed well in Indian conditions
- Do not sting at all
- Eat less food
Short Answer Questions
Q6. What is apiculture? List four products obtained from bee-keeping besides honey.
Q7. Why are honey bees called "pollinators"? Explain how their activity benefits farmers growing crops like mustard, apple, and sunflower.
Q8. What are the main requirements for setting up a bee colony? Mention two factors that affect honey production.
Q9. A farmer notices that his apple orchard produces fewer fruits even though the trees look healthy. A bee-keeper sets up hives nearby, and the next season fruit production increases. Explain the connection.
Long Answer Questions
Q10. Explain bee-keeping (apiculture) as an agricultural practice. Describe the different species of honey bees found in India, the products obtained from bee-keeping (honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly), the importance of bees in crop pollination, and the basic requirements for starting apiculture (location near flowering crops, hive boxes, protection from pests and pesticides).
Q11. "Bee-keeping is a low-investment, high-return activity that benefits both the bee-keeper and the farmer." Discuss this statement by explaining: the economic benefits of apiculture for rural families, the role of honey bees in increasing crop yields through pollination, the growing market for honey and bee products in India, the challenges faced by bee-keepers (use of pesticides, climate change, lack of training), and why government schemes promoting apiculture are important.
APPLICATION / ANALYSIS
Q12. Case Study — Bee-Keeping Economics:
A bee-keeper in Uttarakhand started with 10 bee colonies:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Initial cost per colony (hive + bees) | Rs 3,000 |
| Honey production per colony per year | 20 kg |
| Selling price per kg of honey | 250 |
| Beeswax produced per colony per year | 1 kg |
| Selling price per kg of beeswax | Rs 400 |
| Annual maintenance cost per colony | Rs 500 |
Answer the following:
(a) Calculate the total initial investment for 10 colonies.
(b) Calculate the total annual income from honey and beeswax. Then calculate total annual expenditure. What is the net annual profit?
(c) A nearby apple farmer offers ₹2,000 per season to place the bee hives in his orchard for pollination. How does this extra income change the total annual profit? What is the new profit percentage increase?
Q13. Real-Life Application — School Bee Garden:
Your school in a rural area wants to start a bee-keeping project. The area has flowering plants and mustard fields nearby.
Available:
- A small shed (3m × 3m)
- Budget: ₹15,000
- A retired bee-keeper in the village willing to guide
- Students interested in learning
Concerns:
- Some students are afraid of bee stings
- Pesticides are used in nearby fields
- No existing market for honey in the village
Answer the following:
(a) How many bee colonies can the school start with if each colony costs ₹3,000? What other essential equipment is needed?
(b) How would you address the students' fear of bee stings and the risk of pesticides? Suggest two practical solutions.
(c) If there is no local market, how could the school create one or sell the honey? Suggest one innovative marketing idea.