Course

Syllabus

Practical

Identification of honeybee species and castes. Hive and other apicultural appliances. Examination of honeybee colonies. Recording of colony performance. Bee pasturage. Migratory routes and migration of colonies. Seasonal management of honeybee colonies. Selection of honeybee colonies for improving bee health and colony productivity. Mass queen bee rearing techniques. Identification of bee enemies and diseases and their management. Foraging and communication behaviour in honeybees. Honey extraction, processing and packaging. Collection of other hive products.

Mulberry varieties, Host plants of non-mulberry silkworms, Preparation of land, planting material and planting of mulberry, Pruning, harvesting and storage of mulberry, Mulberry pests and diseases, Identification of cocoons of important breeds, External morphology of life stages egg, larva, pupa and moth of Bombyx mori L. Study of silk glands and digestive system of Bombyx mori L. Disinfectants- rearing bed and general disinfectants, Grainage techniques. Study of rearing house plan and equipment’s for shoot feeding and shelf rearing. Methods of Incubation of silkworm eggs and brushing. Identification of silkworm settling for moult, at moult, out of moult, Feeding, bed cleaning and spacing, Identification and picking of ripe silkworms, mounting, types of mountages, cocoon harvesting and grading, Pests and diseases of mulberry silkworm, Single cocoon reeling, study of reeling equipment. Weed killers, pollinators, scavengers and soil builders. Identification of major predators and parasitoids commonly used in biological control.

Objectives

1. To attain knowledge on importance of beneficial Insects, beekeeping and pollinators, and to study the bee biology which includes the commercial methods of rearing, equipment used, seasonal management, bee enemies and disease.

2. To gain a basic understanding of rearing, mounting and harvesting of cocoons. Pest and diseases of silkworm, management, rearing appliances of mulberry silkworm and methods of disinfection

3. To study the about the major predators and parasitoids used in pest management.

Course Outcome:

Any student who has undergone the course shall be able to:

Suggested Readings

1. Atwal A S. 2001. The World of the Honey Bee. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

2. David V Alford. 2019. Beneficial Insects. CRC Press. 400p.

3. David V Alford. 2019. Beneficial Insects. CRC Press. 400p.

4. David, B.V. and V.V. Ramamurthy. 2011. Elements of Economic Entomology, Namrutha Publications, Chennai, 386 p. {ISBN: 978-81-921477-0-3}

5. Ganga G and Sulochanachetty J. 2019 Introduction to sericulture. 328p. Oxford and IBH Publishing

6. Graham J M. 2015. The Hive and Honey Bee. Dadant and Sons Publication, USA. New Delhi.

7. Ramakrishna Naika, Venkataravana P and Sunil kumar T. 2024. Sericulture cultivation, processing and marketing. 293 p. Daya Publishing House. Delhi.

8. Reddy A, Anusha C, Ramprasad, B, Kumar R and V Daravath. 2022. Importance of Beneficial Insects in Agriculture. Research Trends in Multidisciplinary Research and Development (pp.7-24). Wiser Publications, Germany.

9. Sathe T V and A D Jadhav. 2012. Sericulture & pest management. DAYA publishing house,

10. Savithri G, Sujathamma P and Neeraja P. 2016. Sericulture industry: An overview, Agrobios (India).