Search Results

Search results for "Bee"

Results 1 - 479 of 487Page 1 of 2
Sorted by: Relevance | Sort by: DateResults per-page: 10 | 20 | 50 | All
Karl Colyer - Bee Rescues

Karl Colyer – Bee Rescues

We’ve probably all seen or heard about Swarm Collectors and what they do. Some bees get to set up a new home and it can often be in people’s homes and gardens. This talk will show some examples of bee extractions from walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, trees and sheds to give an idea of what can be found and how […]
Genetics for the Beekeeper - Helen Mooney

Genetics for the Beekeeper – Helen Mooney

[…]are fellow Dark bee breeders and the overall Irish population remains robust and pure. Helen is a Bee Master with the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations and a member of NIHBS, the Native Irish Honey Bee Society, for which she has written a chapter on basic genetics for beekeepers.  Along with maintaining and breeding dark bees in several apiaries, she now […]
Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees <br>- Colm ONeill

Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees
– Colm ONeill

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 8 November 2022
  • Terms:
[…]for his local association, a committee member for the Native Irish Honey Bee Society and holds beekeeping, bee improvement and queen rearing classes at his home apiary. Along with Jonathan Getty, he has been giving online training to the more than 200 members of the NIHBS Queen Rearing Group Scheme since 2021. Their management system gives them little or no […]
Read more » Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees
– Colm ONeill
Improving bees by raising your own queens

Improving bees by raising your own queens

  • Type: Post
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 17 May 2022
  • Terms:
[…]isolated. For security reasons we ask the location is not disclosed to anybody. For working at the bees, bee suits and gloves are not essential, but head protection is. What is or isn’t included? A one day practical and online video. Pre – COVID, this was a 2 day course, but the videos now replace the first day. Please see […]
Scillonian Bee Project

Scillonian Bee Project

[…]Scillonian weather, in particular the long dry summers. ​This is more than likely because honeybees have been imported (but luckily from varroa free locations, Colonsay, and the Isle of Man). Another part of the Project will be to take an annual DNA sample from as many colonies as pos)sible so that we can use the results to help the bees […]
Why do the bees rear so many drones?

Why do the bees rear so many drones?

[…]and others, with a bias toward conservation and the environment, rearing our own queens from black bees. Why do the bees rear so many drones? This piece aims to explain: why the production of a large number of drones is the inevitable consequence of the free mating of queens in drone congregations; and why this proliferation of drones is […]
The Native Irish Honey Bee

The Native Irish Honey Bee

[…]a ‘go to’ source of information not just for beekeepers in the island of Ireland but for all beekeepers who keep Amm bees or who want to know more. It covers all the essentials: What is a native Irish honey bee? Consideration of honey bee genetics (which will become an increasingly important issue in the 2020s as our knowledge of […]
Bee Improvement Strategies

Bee Improvement Strategies

[…]question any individual or group should consider is what method should I/we follow to Improve our bees and to produce queens. There are a few key choices depending on your aims, capacity (time and equipment) and capabilities. I’m assuming the reader is looking for a bee that is native and/or locally adapted. Kevin […]
Bee Improvement Days 2021

Bee Improvement Days 2021

Bee Improvement Days 2021 The Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders' Association (BIBBA) will be running a small number of practical and theoretical courses during the summer months. These will be aimed at beekeepers who wish to improve their bees, with emphasis on suitability to the environment, docility, calmness on the comb, ease of management, good use of stores, etc. The […]
BIBBA Opposes the Importation of Honey Bees and Queens

BIBBA Opposes the Importation of Honey Bees and Queens

  • Type: Post
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 18 February 2021
  • Terms:
[…]supports the prosperity and wellbeing of all our current populations of bees, including honey bees, bumblebees and solitary bees as well as other pollinators, Imported honey bees pose a considerable risk each year to our present populations in many different ways. This ever-growing practice is not sustainable. It is most likely that the seriously damaging invasive pests and pathogens we […]
Read more » BIBBA Opposes the Importation of Honey Bees and Queens
North Gower Bee Improvement

North Gower Bee Improvement

[…]low number of beekeepers (mostly hobbyists) which may have helped reduce mass import of non-native bees in this area. Furthermore, the isolation of the northern tip of Gower may offer a stronghold for colonies of near native bees. The group which is just starting is looking to encourage breeding from these local near native stocks and improve their qualitive through selective […]
National Bee Improvement Programme (NatBIP)

National Bee Improvement Programme (NatBIP)

  • Type: Page
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 29 January 2021
  • Terms:
[…]Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. This is an initiative organised by the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association (BIBBA), with the twin aims of reducing the number of imports of honey bees into Britain, Ireland and associated islands,* and of improving the quality of our honey bees. This Programme aims to provide a way forward […]
Section 1.2 - Aims, Imports & Bee Breeding

Section 1.2 – Aims, Imports & Bee Breeding

[…]support of beekeepers aiming to develop Varroa resilient bees The Problem with Imports Imports of bees have been growing, year on year, and, although currently at record levels, at best, only produce a short-term respite, in terms of quality. In the long-term no consistent improvement in the quality of our bees is achieved, and the system relies on further imports […]
BIBBA Webinars - The National Bee Improvement Programme (NatBIP)

BIBBA Webinars – The National Bee Improvement Programme (NatBIP)

[…]five sessions to host as follows (all are Tuesdays at 7.30pm):- 5 20th Oct “Resilient Honeybees” by Grace McCormack 6 27th Oct “Where we are, how we got here and how we can move on…….” by Roger Patterson 7 3rd Nov “Some Fresh Ideas for Teaching and Learning” by Roger Patterson 8 10th Nov “Bees and queens for everyone” by […]
Read more » BIBBA Webinars – The National Bee Improvement Programme (NatBIP)
Queens: Collaboration and how to make it easy on yourself and your bees - by Karl Colyer

Queens: Collaboration and how to make it easy on yourself and your bees – by Karl Colyer

[…]usual this year and we figured that his ‘rejects’ may well be better than my current choice of bees. I had bees up on Saddleworth Moor (900ft), just into Derbyshire (1,130ft) but most were down on the Cheshire plains with a similar altitude and climate to West Sussex. I certainly wouldn’t want to impose the cooler, windier and wetter options […]
Read more » Queens: Collaboration and how to make it easy on yourself and your bees – by Karl Colyer
Queens - an example of collaboration between beekeepers, by Roger Patterson

Queens – an example of collaboration between beekeepers, by Roger Patterson

[…]packages contained queen bees! In total I posted about 40 queens in 6 batches. I know that queen bees have been posted in travel cages for a long time, mainly from commercial suppliers, but it was still interesting to find few problems when done by amateurs in less than ideal conditions. I will describe a little about how the queens […]
Read more » Queens – an example of collaboration between beekeepers, by Roger Patterson
Conserving black bees

Conserving black bees

[…]Others would argue that it is easier and cheaper to import from abroad; after all, some think bees are bees are bees! When asked about the Black Bee, many will repeat what they have read in books and journals: a defensive and aggressive race with low productiv­ity, adapted to the colder, wetter cli­mate of western and northern Europe where it […]
Bloomington Bees - USA

Bloomington Bees – USA

[…]Bees: We are currently a small group but currently looking for more members who share the love of Beekeeping and a passion for honeybees.  Bloomington Indiana 47403 USA contact  Nathanael […]
Breeding Techniques and Selection for Breeding of the Honeybee - Ruttner - download pdf

Breeding Techniques and Selection for Breeding of the Honeybee – Ruttner – download pdf

Members can download a copy of this book for their personal use. This electronic download is ONLY available to current BIBBA members. It is strictly copyright protected against any distribution, loaning, display, broadcasting, selling or copying. By downloading this file, you agree to these terms and […]
Read more » Breeding Techniques and Selection for Breeding of the Honeybee – Ruttner – download pdf
Bucks Berks & Oxon Bee Improvement (BBOBI ) – RG9

Bucks Berks & Oxon Bee Improvement (BBOBI ) – RG9

[…]by Reg Hook, a founding member of SCBKA and a tutor at Berks College of Agriculture. Reg has been breeding near native dark bees for over 20 years and has distributed stock to both members of Reading and Wokingham BKA while teaching at BCA, so it makes sense to continue his work in the local area. Free Virgin Queens Due […]
Read more » Bucks Berks & Oxon Bee Improvement (BBOBI ) – RG9
I Want Bees

I Want Bees

  • Type: Page
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 6 April 2020
  • Terms:
[…]Linnaeus 1758 is a subspecies and northern geographical race of Apis mellifera, the western honeybee. It may be subdivided into many local ecotypes. Its various vernacular names include:“Dark European Honeybee” (English),“L’abeille noire” (French),“Die dunkle Biene” (German) and“Det mörka Nordiska Biet” (Swedish) Apis mellifera mellifera is distinguished from other subspecies of the honey bee by:a) Morphological characters, including colour, size, wing […]
A Proposal for a National Honey Bee Improvement Programme

A Proposal for a National Honey Bee Improvement Programme

[…]and propagated the best local bees, a good reason could then be made for not using imported bees. Beekeepers would benefit in two ways, that is, in a reduction in the biosecurity risks associated with imports, and through the opportunity of supporting and participating in a project that could deliver a better-quality bee. Taking part in a scheme to sustainably […]
Read more » A Proposal for a National Honey Bee Improvement Programme
Bee Improvement Strategies – Kevin Thorn

Bee Improvement Strategies – Kevin Thorn

[…]the reader is looking for a bee that is native and/or locally adapted. The first thing for a new beekeeper to understand is that honey bee mating biology is very different from that of mammals and breeding “pedigree” queens is hard when in nature they fly 3+ miles to mate with up to 35 males from random hives (sources differ […]
Bee Improvement Strategies - Kevin Thorn -part two

Bee Improvement Strategies – Kevin Thorn -part two

[…]this wouldn’t work there are many examples of where this has been done and after many years the bees have been found to be 70-99% pure AMM (you do need to be able to tell the difference between AMM and Carniolan queens though). Propagating queens You can start to introduce more propagation methods too – different methods of transferring larvae, […]
Read more » Bee Improvement Strategies – Kevin Thorn -part two
Hazelbeach Black Bee Breeding Group - SA73

Hazelbeach Black Bee Breeding Group – SA73

The group works in South West Pembrokeshire to breed and conserve a strain of the local black bee. An ultimate aim would be to influence the conservation of the black bee widely in the Pembrokeshire peninsula. contact Mel […]
Bees for Sale

Bees for Sale

  • Type: Page
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 6 December 2019
  • Terms:
[…]are not imports, and that the seller supports the objectives of BIBBA. Learn to Create Your Own Bees & Queens: NatBIP Guide Roger’s “Free Bees and Queens for Everyone” roadshow. Two Frame Nucs Contact a Local BIBBA Group: We have a number of Bee Improvement Groups around the UK. Often these groups have surplus bees and queens. Click here to […]
Test Valley Black Bee Project - SO20

Test Valley Black Bee Project – SO20

[…]to the conservation and reintroduction of the native black bee. We are a friendly team of bee keepers working together to improve the qualities of the existing surrounding bee population. Our aim is to work towards locally adapted colonies focusing on the reintroduction and proliferation of the native black bee. Contact: Nicola Crosswaite 07905929114 […]
Beekeepers come swarming to the Sustainability days

Beekeepers come swarming to the Sustainability days

[…]events. A whole range of topics were discussed on the day including: Roger’s system of keeping bees, having non-prolific bees and still getting plenty of honey. Simple factors to consider for bee improvement Getting queen cells and two framed nucs set up How to get up to 11 colonies in one season Roger frequently signposted attendees to the Dave Cushman […]
Read more » Beekeepers come swarming to the Sustainability days
Appetitive floral odours prevent aggression in honeybees

Appetitive floral odours prevent aggression in honeybees

[…]to recruit nestmates into defensive tasks. The effect of floral odours on this behaviour has never been studied, despite the relevance of these olfactory cues for the biology of bees. Here we use a novel assay to investigate social and olfactory cues that drive defensive behaviour in bees. We show that social interactions are necessary to reveal the recruiting function […]
Read more » Appetitive floral odours prevent aggression in honeybees
Sustainable Bees & Queens: Chesterfield

Sustainable Bees & Queens: Chesterfield

There is growing concern amongst beekeepers of all abilities and experience about the ever-increasing importation of bees and queens. This is on several grounds, including the possibilities of introducing pests, diseases and pathogens, aggression in subsequent generations and the unsuitability to our fickle […]
Sustainable Bees & Queens: Kent

Sustainable Bees & Queens: Kent

There is growing concern amongst beekeepers of all abilities and experience about the ever-increasing importation of bees and queens. This is on several grounds, including the possibilities of introducing pests, diseases and pathogens, aggression in subsequent generations and the unsuitability to our fickle […]
Sustainable Bees & Queens

Sustainable Bees & Queens

[…]enough bees for their beginners and queens to head them. In response to the obvious need the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) are staging a series of one day regional events during the 2018/19 winter. These are to help and encourage everyone from the small-scale beekeeper upwards and BKAs to produce bees and queens from local stock, by […]
Sustainable Bees & Queens - South East

Sustainable Bees & Queens – South East

[…]enough bees for their beginners and queens to head them. In response to the obvious need the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) are staging a series of one day regional events during the 2018/19 winter. These are to help and encourage everyone from the small-scale beekeeper upwards and BKAs to produce bees and queens from local stock, by […]
Sustainable Bees & Queens - South West

Sustainable Bees & Queens – South West

[…]enough bees for their beginners and queens to head them. In response to the obvious need the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) are staging a series of one day regional events during the 2018/19 winter. These are to help and encourage everyone from the small-scale beekeeper upwards and BKAs to produce bees and queens from local stock, by […]
Sustainable Bees & Queens : Midlands

Sustainable Bees & Queens : Midlands

[…]enough bees for their beginners and queens to head them. In response to the obvious need the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) are staging a series of one day regional events during the 2018/19 winter. These are to help and encourage everyone from the small-scale beekeeper upwards and BKAs to produce bees and queens from local stock, by […]
Sustainable Bees & Queens : East Anglia

Sustainable Bees & Queens : East Anglia

[…]enough bees for their beginners and queens to head them. In response to the obvious need the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) are staging a series of one day regional events during the 2018/19 winter. These are to help and encourage everyone from the small-scale beekeeper upwards and BKAs to produce bees and queens from local stock, by […]
Sustainability - Bees and Queens for Everyone using low-cost, simple methods

Sustainability – Bees and Queens for Everyone using low-cost, simple methods

[…]of one day regional events in early 2019 to help and encourage everyone from the small-scale beekeeper upwards and BKAs to produce bees and queens from local stock, by using simple techniques that may be little more than a variation of what many beekeepers already do and at little or no cost. Topics include:- Why raise queens? Addressing perceived problems […]
Read more » Sustainability – Bees and Queens for Everyone using low-cost, simple methods
The Eden Project's 2nd Conference for Sustainable Beekeeping

The Eden Project’s 2nd Conference for Sustainable Beekeeping

[…]Sussex University Using whole genome sequencing to analyse the genetic diversity of the UK honey bee population. HONEY BEE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE BEEKEEPING Dr Mark Barnett, Edinburgh University:- The need to conserve the Dark European honey bee. Dylan Elen, Bangor University:- Developing sustainable beekeeping in Wales, some results of initial genetic survey. Prof Grace P McCormack, National University of Ireland […]
Read more » The Eden Project’s 2nd Conference for Sustainable Beekeeping
Mount Edgcumbe Cornish Bee Group - PL10

Mount Edgcumbe Cornish Bee Group – PL10

[…]sides of the lower River Tamar. Our aim as a BIBBA group is to foster interest in the native honey bee and to help beekeepers to improve their own stock using Amm characteristics as a guide. contact Kathy […]
Shebbear Black Bee Conservation Project - EX22

Shebbear Black Bee Conservation Project – EX22

[…]of the Group: Reintroduction of black bee colonies into the Shebbear area and encouraging existing bee keepers to switch to black bees Specific short-term targets: Breeding and monitoring of black bees at Newton Mill, formation of a CIC (or Charity) to teach bee keeping contact Adrian […]
Read more » Shebbear Black Bee Conservation Project – EX22
Cheshire Honeybee Improvement Partnership (CHIP)- CW9

Cheshire Honeybee Improvement Partnership (CHIP)- CW9

[…]BIBBA members, to help form local queen rearing groups to aid the improvement of local bees and support the objectives of BIBBA; to improve and propagate the native and near native honey bees. The CHIP members have formed a collective queen rearing group and are each helping other local individuals and groups to enter into selective and practical queen rearing […]
Read more » Cheshire Honeybee Improvement Partnership (CHIP)- CW9
Bee improvement for all day- Lanarkshire

Bee improvement for all day- Lanarkshire

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 25 January 2018
  • Terms:
£10 a head; tea and coffee provided, bring your own packed lunch Contact details Susan Fotheringham Bank details for BACS payments (preferred): Lloyds Bank Sort code: 30-98-97 Account number: 30350560 Directions: CLYDESMILL M74 southbound CLYDESMILL M74 […]
Bee Improvement for All - Edinburgh

Bee Improvement for All – Edinburgh

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 22 January 2018
  • Terms:
[…]e.g. a swarming colony, as well as some of the simpler artificial methods that will suit the beekeeper or group who needs more queens. All suggested methods are easily understood and suitable for all beekeepers, whether they are beginners or more experienced. There will be a number of ideas and options given in an unbiased way. Beekeepers should learn more, […]
Wight Bee Improvement Group

Wight Bee Improvement Group

[…]of passing on their bloodlines. At present no drone rearing is possible due to the variety of both beekeepers and imported stock. Hopefully this can be improved as the group increases in members and stock Specific short-term targets: Well mannered calm bees – low swarming – good foragers – non followers. With a little tuition it is hoped the group […]
Bee Improvement for All - Devon

Bee Improvement for All – Devon

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 3 December 2017
  • Terms:
[…]at Eden Project and four associated events on the same weekend, we have had to cancel the Bee Improvement for All Day at South Brent. This is a great pity because there have been over 40 of these popular events since 2014, many of which have reached venue capacity. We apologise for the inconvenience and hope we can reschedule it […]
Bee Improvement for All - Portishead

Bee Improvement for All – Portishead

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 7 November 2017
  • Terms:
[…]made using the following link (no payments accepted on the day) http://northsomersetbeekeepers.org/bee-improvement-for-all-27-january-2018/   course info: […]
Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens

Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens

Resources http://www.coloss.org/beebook/I/instrumental-insemination http://www.beeculture.com/instrumental-insemination/ Sue Cobey http://www.honeybeeinsemination.com/resources.html solution for cryopreservation http://www.amplab.de/en-EN/beebreeding.html Schley equipment […]
Black Bee Reserve

Black Bee Reserve

[…]visitor about our native Northern European Bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. Referred to as the Black Bee, it has been found to be thriving in Mount Edgcumbe Park and the surrounding Rame Peninsular, as well as in other parts of Cornwall.  Dr Mairi Knight of Plymouth University spoke of current research by her Department of Molecular Sciences into local adaptation in […]
Abberton Native Bee Group/ Essex 4 Bees - CO2

Abberton Native Bee Group/ Essex 4 Bees – CO2

[…]site when three came along at once! One of the sites was just a mile away from our proposed native bee site and Bill kept bees within two miles. Rather than any objection to our bringing in new bees Tom, Russell and Bill were keen to have native stock at their apiaries and Bill volunteered to take on the day […]
Read more » Abberton Native Bee Group/ Essex 4 Bees – CO2
Bee Breeding and Queen Rearing Courses UK

Bee Breeding and Queen Rearing Courses UK

  • Type: Page
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 7 June 2017
  • Terms:
[…]may not suit their environment, or run the risk of importing pests and diseases. BIBBA Open Days Bee Improvement For All (BIFA) days One and two day Bee Improvement Courses If you would like an event in your area, either a standard one or something different to suit you, please contact BIBBA Conference and Workshop Secretary Roger Patterson by email […]
Bee Improvement for All: Saffron Walden

Bee Improvement for All: Saffron Walden

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 5 June 2017
  • Terms:
[…]for All’  day with Roger Patterson: A one day event packed with sound information to help all beekeepers improve their bees. The presentation will concentrate on encouraging beekeepers to raise their own queens to produce docile colonies that are productive, healthy and best suited to their environment. Saturday 18 November 2017, 9 am – 4.30 pm at Sewards End Village Hall, […]
2 Day Bee Improvement: Preston

2 Day Bee Improvement: Preston

[…]leave the course with the confidence and skills to start rearing queens and developing their own bee stocks. Who is it for? This course is aimed at beekeepers who:- currently manage several colonies know the “basics” of beekeeping, i.e. the life cycles, swarming procedure of a colony, disease recognition, etc, are able to recognise eggs and young larvae, can handle […]
2 Day Bee Improvement: Preston

2 Day Bee Improvement: Preston

[…]leave the course with the confidence and skills to start rearing queens and developing their own bee stocks. Who is it for? This course is aimed at beekeepers who:- currently manage several colonies know the “basics” of beekeeping, i.e. the life cycles, swarming procedure of a colony, disease recognition, etc, are able to recognise eggs and young larvae, can handle […]
2 Day Bee Improvement Course: Suffolk

2 Day Bee Improvement Course: Suffolk

Improving bees by raising your own queens – course Tutor – Roger Patterson In conjunction with West Suffolk BKA and BIBBA Thursday 20 July and Friday 21 July at Nowton Park Apiary, near Bury St Edmunds. Course fee Early bird £50 if booked before 4 July the event £60 if booked on or after 4 July. Please bring your own […]
Bee Improvement For All: West Sussex

Bee Improvement For All: West Sussex

A one day event packed with sound information to help all beekeepers improve their bees. The presentation will concentrate on encouraging beekeepers to raise their own queens to produce docile colonies that are productive, healthy and best suited to their environment. The bees often give us opportunities during the summer and there will be plenty of ideas on how to use […]
BIBBA Open Day - Improve Your Bees

BIBBA Open Day – Improve Your Bees

[…]and practice for all beekeepers This is an all day summer event to help increase the knowledge of beekeepers of all abilities on bee improvement. Attendees are encouraged to rear queens from desirable colonies that are docile, calm on the comb, productive and suit their local conditions. There will be one or two PowerPoint presentations to inform attendees of the […]
Scottish Native Honey Bee Society

Scottish Native Honey Bee Society

[…]Andrew Abrahams Soapbox presentations The role of science Making native bees available Defining the new society Exploring actions for the future [/column-half-1] [column-half-2] Aims for the day Understand native bees better Learn about existing groups Agreement on the society’s aims Getting more people involved Meet others from same area Decisions on what to do next [/column-half-2] full details of start […]
2 Day Bee Improvement Course. North Wales.

2 Day Bee Improvement Course. North Wales.

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 31 January 2017
  • Terms:
if you wish to book or have any queries, please contact Steve Rose more […]
BIPCo 6th Annual Bee Improvement Day

BIPCo 6th Annual Bee Improvement Day

BIPCo would like to invite beekeepers to the 6th Annual Bee Improvement Day   A one-day event organised by the Bee Improvement Programme for Cornwall (BIPCo)   To be held at Lanhydrock Memorial Hall, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5AE on Saturday 18th February 2017 commencing at 9.00am for registration (9.30am start) until 3.30pm   A day for all those interested in […]
The black bee, an increasingly rare pearl

The black bee, an increasingly rare pearl

  • Type: Page
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 7 December 2016
  • Terms:
[…]mellifera is therefore a subspecies of one of these lines. Bad reputation The use of the black bee by beekeepers has declined sharply because it has a reputation for being aggressive and producing little honey. The black bee is certainly not a docile bee. For some, this ability to defend themselves, this reactivity to stress, is even an advantage because it forces […]
Group Presentation & Discussion "Bee improvement and bee breeding groups - some experiences and ideas"

Group Presentation & Discussion “Bee improvement and bee breeding groups – some experiences and ideas”

[…]session has been included in the programme because BIBBA intends to expand the network of bee breeding and bee improvement groups, as a way of helping beekeepers with a small number of colonies to improve their bees in a meaningful way. BIBBA has a list of groups, with a Groups’ Secretary who can offer help, advice and encouragement where needed. […]
Read more » Group Presentation & Discussion “Bee improvement and bee breeding groups – some experiences and ideas”
Irene Power “Beekeeping and a Full Time Job”

Irene Power “Beekeeping and a Full Time Job”

[…]with keen interests in honey bee health and queen rearing & honey production. Lecture Title: “Beekeeping and a full time job” The age of beekeepers in recent years has lowered, with many in full time employment, possibly with young families and other interests that have a demand on leisure time. This talk will cover the topic of how to manage […]
Read more » Irene Power “Beekeeping and a Full Time Job”
Nick Bentham-Green "Bee Improvement in Cornwall, Achievements and Aspirations"

Nick Bentham-Green “Bee Improvement in Cornwall, Achievements and Aspirations”

[…]these will be discussed during Nick’s presentation. The groups being BipCo, CBIBBG the Cornwall Bee Improvement and Bee Breeding Group, and B4 (Bring Back Black Bees). Their principle aims are the same and for that reason, Nick saw it as very important that there is a regular free and frank exchange of ideas between the 3 groups, so that there […]
Read more » Nick Bentham-Green “Bee Improvement in Cornwall, Achievements and Aspirations”
Phil Chandler "Balanced Beekeeping: Top Bars, Eco Floors and Black Bees"

Phil Chandler “Balanced Beekeeping: Top Bars, Eco Floors and Black Bees”

[…]for our bees, without having to climb trees? What are the advantages of top bar hives for bees and beekeeper? What is the point of balance between the bees’ needs and ours, as beekeepers? Do native and near native bees best suit balanced beekeeping? Should we be “re-wilding” our black bees? If so, how should we go about […]
Read more » Phil Chandler “Balanced Beekeeping: Top Bars, Eco Floors and Black Bees”
Jim Ryan "Beekeeping - If the bees wrote the book"

Jim Ryan “Beekeeping – If the bees wrote the book”

[…]been chairman for 16 years and am currently chairman of Galtee Bee Breeders. Lecture Title: “Beekeeping – If the bees wrote the book” As beekeepers we have certain ideas in our head each year as to what we hope to achieve in our beekeeping. But how do the bees look at it? What do they hope to achieve? Our main […]
Read more » Jim Ryan “Beekeeping – If the bees wrote the book”
Paul Cross "Development of a miniature vibration energy harvester for battery-less tracking of honey bees"

Paul Cross “Development of a miniature vibration energy harvester for battery-less tracking of honey bees”

[…]Title: “Development of a miniature vibration energy harvester for battery-less tracking of honey bees” The recent global decline in honey bee colonies has ignited efforts to better understand the spatial interaction of bees with their environment. To date, no technology exists to effectively track such things as foraging, queen and drone flight paths or enable the long-term evaluation of navigation […]
Read more » Paul Cross “Development of a miniature vibration energy harvester for battery-less tracking of honey bees”
The health and status of the feral honeybee population of the UK

The health and status of the feral honeybee population of the UK

[…]honeybee colonies. Deformed wing virus was shown to be 2.4 fold higher in feral than managed honeybees. Managed honeybee colonies not treated for Varroa showed similar levels of deformed wing virus to that of feral colonies. In the absence of managing the Varroa mite, feral populations are subject to potentially lethal levels of DWV. Such a finding provides evidence to […]
Read more » The health and status of the feral honeybee population of the UK
Steve Rose "My Approach to Bee Selection"

Steve Rose “My Approach to Bee Selection”

[…]studies are conducted by M.Sc and Ph.D students and cover topics such as genetic purity of the bees of the locality, development of instrumentation for tracking bees in flight and assessments of various techniques, including morphometric and nuclear, for determining purity. The presentation also touches on projects conducted jointly with other breeding groups located outside the […]
Philip Denwood "Towards a History of the Dark Bee in Britain"

Philip Denwood “Towards a History of the Dark Bee in Britain”

[…]“Towards a History of the Dark Bee in Britain” There are two common misconceptions about honey bees and the dark bee Apis mellifera mellifera in particular in the British isles: 1) English Government circles (as distinct from Scottish) follow the belief that the honey bee was introduced to the British Isles by monks in Anglo-Saxon times. It is therefore not […]
Read more » Philip Denwood “Towards a History of the Dark Bee in Britain”
Huw Evans "Electronic monitoring as a tool for better beekeeping and queen breeding"

Huw Evans “Electronic monitoring as a tool for better beekeeping and queen breeding”

[…]temperature, humidity, hive weight and apiary weather conditions. The data collected offers a beekeeper/queen breeder a powerful tool to examine the colony and queen conditions without disturbing the bees. Weight data can be used to calculate the “adjusted production figure” (average harvested by each apiary minus the harvest of each hive) for each individual hive in order to avoid mistakes […]
Read more » Huw Evans “Electronic monitoring as a tool for better beekeeping and queen breeding”
Jo Widdicombe "The Principles and Practice of Bee Improvement"

Jo Widdicombe “The Principles and Practice of Bee Improvement”

[…]approach than the constant import of bees of other sub-species. The talk emphasizes that ‘Bee Improvement’ is relevant to all beekeepers and that rather than contributing to declining qualities in our bees we can all play an important role in reversing this trend, helping to raise the standards of bees in Britain and […]
Read more » Jo Widdicombe “The Principles and Practice of Bee Improvement”
Tony Maggs "Bee Farming with Native/Near Native Bees"

Tony Maggs “Bee Farming with Native/Near Native Bees”

[…]in Great Britain there are several ‘styles’ of beekeepers – beginners, hobbyists and ‘Bee Farmers’. Bee Farmers are generally running many hives, possibly hundreds, on a commercial basis, so their motivation and methods are different to that of the hobbyist running a few hives and selling a few pots of honey at the gate. So where do their bees come […]
Read more » Tony Maggs “Bee Farming with Native/Near Native Bees”
What is BIBBA’s policy on importing bees?

What is BIBBA’s policy on importing bees?

  • Type: FAQ
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 6 March 2016
  • Terms:
[…]bees? BIBBA does not support the importation of honey bees as not only does it pose a health risk to our bees but importation also works against the development of local adaptation. The mixing of different sub-species  makes selection and improvement of our bees more difficult due to hybridisation and it negates the effects of ‘natural selection’ which produces a […]
Karl Colyer - Bee Rescues

Karl Colyer – Bee Rescues

We’ve probably all seen or heard about Swarm Collectors and what they do. Some bees get to set up a new home and it can often be in people’s homes and gardens. This talk will show some examples of bee extractions from walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, trees and sheds to give an idea of what can be found and how […]
Genetics for the Beekeeper - Helen Mooney

Genetics for the Beekeeper – Helen Mooney

[…]are fellow Dark bee breeders and the overall Irish population remains robust and pure. Helen is a Bee Master with the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations and a member of NIHBS, the Native Irish Honey Bee Society, for which she has written a chapter on basic genetics for beekeepers.  Along with maintaining and breeding dark bees in several apiaries, she now […]
Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees <br>- Colm ONeill

Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees
– Colm ONeill

  • Type: Event
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 8 November 2022
  • Terms:
[…]for his local association, a committee member for the Native Irish Honey Bee Society and holds beekeeping, bee improvement and queen rearing classes at his home apiary. Along with Jonathan Getty, he has been giving online training to the more than 200 members of the NIHBS Queen Rearing Group Scheme since 2021. Their management system gives them little or no […]
Read more » Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees
– Colm ONeill
Improving bees by raising your own queens

Improving bees by raising your own queens

  • Type: Post
  • Post author:
  • Published date: 17 May 2022
  • Terms:
[…]isolated. For security reasons we ask the location is not disclosed to anybody. For working at the bees, bee suits and gloves are not essential, but head protection is. What is or isn’t included? A one day practical and online video. Pre – COVID, this was a 2 day course, but the videos now replace the first day. Please see […]
Scillonian Bee Project

Scillonian Bee Project

[…]Scillonian weather, in particular the long dry summers. ​This is more than likely because honeybees have been imported (but luckily from varroa free locations, Colonsay, and the Isle of Man). Another part of the Project will be to take an annual DNA sample from as many colonies as pos)sible so that we can use the results to help the bees […]
Why do the bees rear so many drones?

Why do the bees rear so many drones?

[…]and others, with a bias toward conservation and the environment, rearing our own queens from black bees. Why do the bees rear so many drones? This piece aims to explain: why the production of a large number of drones is the inevitable consequence of the free mating of queens in drone congregations; and why this proliferation of drones is […]
The Native Irish Honey Bee

The Native Irish Honey Bee

[…]a ‘go to’ source of information not just for beekeepers in the island of Ireland but for all beekeepers who keep Amm bees or who want to know more. It covers all the essentials: What is a native Irish honey bee? Consideration of honey bee genetics (which will become an increasingly important issue in the 2020s as our knowledge of […]
Bee Improvement Strategies

Bee Improvement Strategies

[…]question any individual or group should consider is what method should I/we follow to Improve our bees and to produce queens. There are a few key choices depending on your aims, capacity (time and equipment) and capabilities. I’m assuming the reader is looking for a bee that is native and/or locally adapted. Kevin […]