BBKA News
BBKA News
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What UK Beekeepers are doing to Support World Bee Day
Friday 0001 20 May 2022 World Bee Day is celebrated every year on the 20th May. It is a day when beekeepers raise awareness of the importance of bees and beekeeping, and inform the public of beekeeping events where they can learn more about bees! The public can help bees by planting bee friendly plants in their gardens and encouraging their councils to plant wildflower meadows and leave grass verges alone to allow wildflowers to bloom. Here in the UK May is a busy time for beekeepers who are tending their bees and watching them progress into strong colonies and often bringing in a spring honey crop - depending on the weather and forage available. British Beekeeper's Chair Stephen Barnes talks about what he will be doing for World Bee Day https://youtu.be/AUatPnc3aY4 We also have leaflets and information about planting for bees and a Planting for bees quarterly blog available to encourage the public to help support bees by planting more food. Stockport Beekeepers Mellor School... -
World Bee Day Events
World Bee Day Events World Bee Day is 20th May The public can help bees by planting bee friendly plants in their gardens and encouraging their councils to plant wildflower meadows and leave grass verges alone to allow wildflowers to bloom. Here in the UK May is a busy time for beekeepers who are tending their bees and watching them progress into strong colonies and often bringing in a spring honey crop - depending on the weather and forage available. A message from British Beekeeper's Chair Stephen Barnes YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUatPnc3aY4 British beekeepers' Association offers leaflets and information about planting for bees and has a Planting for bees quarterly blog available to encourage the public to help support bees by planting more food. During May BBKA also supports 'No Mow May' where the public are asked to not mow their lawns for a month to allow wild f... -
Summer Planting for Bees
After the bustling activity of Spring, colony growth and the excitement of swarming preparations, we turn our thoughts to Summer. The beginning of June is often a dearth period for our bees, but one shrub which may help to alleviate this is Buddleia globosa (Orange globe tree) although not if you have a small garden as it gets big and is pretty boring the rest of the year. Another genus of shrubs acting like a magnet for bees is Ceonothus. There are many species and varieties in flower from May into early summer. These range from ground-hugging plants to small trees and all bear masses of blue flowers. Remember that some are quite tender and may need a sheltered wall. Single roses can be useful sources of pollen but they vary widely and some are buzz pollinated so only of use to bumblebees. Finally Cotoneaster spp. are almost essential for the beekeeper’s garden. Ranging from the ground covering varieties and the popula... -
Spring Convention
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First Asian Hornet of 2022 Confirmed
Friday 29 April 2022 The first Asian Hornet of 2022 on the British mainland has been confirmed at Felixstowe in Suffolk. It was found in the shed of a beekeeper who keeps a sentinel apiary ( an apiary set up to monitor for diseases and pests). Here is a photograph of it: Last year there were 2 Asian Hornet nests found on the mainland at Ascot in Berkshire and Portsmouth in Hampshire in October. There has only been one other spring sighting of Asian Hornets at Bury in Lancashire in 2018. Bee inspectors have set up enhanced monitoring in the area and are working to raise awareness with local beekeepers. Felixstowe is Britain's largest and busiest container port and one of the larges in Europe with links to more than 700 ports around the world, so the NBU says this immediately suggests a possible means by which the hornet could have arrived. Additional information from Beebase: April 2022 - A confirmed finding of a single Asian... -
Information For Schools Considering Keeping Honey Bees
Many schools now keep honey bees on site and have found them to have a huge impact on pupils. We strongly recommend that a school keeping bees becomes a member of the BBKA. This means that a school employee needs to register as the contact with the local BBKA branch of beekeepers. Find your local association here Costs to join are in the region of £25 pa but this varies according to local club fees. School membership includes a copy of BBKA News monthly magazine and free entry for pupils to take the Junior Beekeeping Certificate. The Junior Beekeeping Certificate is a lovely way to encourage children's interest in beekeeping but especially perhaps those children who struggle with academic subjects. Another benefit of joining a club is putting the school in touch with local beekeepers who may be able to help and mentor and provide advice. Additionally beekeepers are sometimes able to visit the school and give lessons or take an... -
May In the Apiary
By the end of May, colonies will be at their peak and, if they have not already swarmed, expect them to be raring to do so. Certainly, in May most years, my colonies usually pack in the oilseed rape (OSR) nectar. There is always some within range. Then they make swarm preparations. I realise not everyone has OSR nearby but for the many who do, it can be a good big crop, if a difficult one because, being high in glucose, it quickly crystallises. Its honey potential is high: 101-500 kg/ha. While the neonicotinoid ban has meant less is sown, there is still plenty near me. Writing in mid-March, the season seems much more advanced than usual, so it would not be surprising if the OSR finished flowering much sooner than usual at the end of May. If there is OSR near you, keep an eye on the colour of the field. As it begins to turn from yellow to green, check the honey in the supers for ripeness by giving combs a really good shake. If little comes out, it will probably be good enough. You... -
Planning Documents
If you are a school thinking of having bees on site please refer to the following guidelines and documents to help with your planning: Managing your apiary, time commitment Schools' beekeeping management plan Model rules for the Apiary Model risk assessment -
Identifying Asian Hornet
Vespa velutina, sometimes known as the 'Asian hornet' is an invasive non-native species from Asia. If you find one you MUST report it. It arrived in France in 2004 and has spread rapidly. As a highly effective predator of insects, including honey bees and other beneficial species, it can cause significant losses to bee colonies, other native species and potentially ecosystems It is expected that the places it is most likely to be found in numbers are in southern parts of England (it may be able to cross the channel from France) or in goods among which it could be accidentally imported (such as soil with imported pot plants, cut flowers, fruit and timber). Active between April and November (peak August/September). Three Easy Steps 1. Does it look very black? 2. Has it got a wide orange stripe on 4th segment of abdomen? 3. Do its legs look as if they have been dipped in yellow paint? Animal & Plant Health Agency have put together a short film to help you id... -
BBKA News Editor Vacancy
BBKA News Editor Vacancy The BBKA is seeking a new editor for BBKA News. After doing a superb job for thirty years as our editor, Sharon Blake has decided to pass the magazine on to someone else. BBKA News is expected to provide a wide range of content suitable to meet the needs of beekeepers who will have a range of experience. The editor is responsible for the content and production of BBKA News and reports to the BBKA editorial team. We anticipate the editor will be an active and experienced beekeeper with a sound knowledge of beekeeping practice and beekeeping policies. The role involves generating ideas for articles in line with BBKA policy; commissioning and obtaining these in a timely manner according to the publication schedule; liaising with authors and the production team and evaluating the proofs. The production schedule is set and agreed with the editorial team, printers and distributors and the editor will need to be comfortable working as part of a team. ...
