The need for development of educational materials for beekeepers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the need for development of educational materials for beekeepers by evaluating the following: the current status of the management of honey bee colony genetics in the United States; the self-perceived information needs of beekeepers; and the most acceptable formats for educational materials. The sample defined was 255 hobbyist, part-time and commercial beekeepers that were registered participants at national and regional beekeeping association meetings during 1990. Results indicated that commercial beekeepers prefer different formats of educational materials than hobbyist and part-time beekeepers. Other important findings include the following: (1) few beekeepers manage colony genetics, (2) beekeepers that do not manage colony genetics would be willing to manage colony genetics if their operations were threatened, and (3) self-perceived information needs appear to reflect a response to self-perceived threats. Additionally, beekeepers in all classes indicated that research findings were not presented in an acceptable format.