Proposal by the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association (BIBBA) to:(1) reduce the level of honey bee imports into the UK, and(2) to improve the quality of our honey bees Introduction The National Pollinator Strategy (The National Pollinator Strategy: for bees and other pollinators in England, November 2014) highlights the…

A key 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…

<- PART ONE More advanced Strategies in Bee Improvement suitable for native bees Many people find queen rearing a daunting prospect. There is an overwhelming amount of information, methods and advice. For clarity you simply need to select your selection criteria, a method of starting queen cells, a method of…

There are concerns by beekeepers of all levels about the dangers of the ever-increasing queen and bee imports into the U.K. These have increased fivefold between 2011 and 2019. As well as the risk of bringing in pests and diseases, imported bees have been shown to be less well-equipped for survival in our climate and conditions. In addition, continuous hybridisation of sub-species makes the selection and improvement of our stock more difficult.
BIBBA has developed a strategy document titled “National Bee Improvement Programme” and is soliciting interest, support and feedback from other stakeholder organisations, groups and beekeepers for a national approach to selecting and improving a locally adapted bee population. The aim is to reduce the health risks posed by imports whilst at the same time improving the quality of our bees for everyone.