March 2021
Tips for the Month:
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On a warm day, 15deg C+ do a quick inspection to make sure all is well. Just open the coverboard and check that colony is covering about a third of the frames - similar to its size in September.
Sidebar
Up And Coming Events & Meetings 2021
The Rugby Beekeeper's Association will be hosting or attending the following events in 2021:
Rugby Beekeepers’ Artisan Honey
Rugby Beekeepers’ Artisan Honey - straight from our hives to your table – 100% pure honey.
Our hobbyist beekeepers house their beehives within the wider Rugby area and their bees forage for nectar within three miles of the colony, so local honey means local.
Honey Label Advice
UK Honey Labelling Advice
Pulling out the legal requirements for the labelling of your honey can be daunting, so we've provided some general advice here on what you need to know.
Asian Hornet Alert!
On Friday 4th October a nest was destroyed following the confirmed sighting of an Asian hornet near Christchurch, Dorset after it was reported by a member of the public.
It is imperative that any Asian hornet colonies in the UK are detected and destroyed before queens are released.
BeeBase
Beebase News Web feed-
Seasonal Bee Inspector (SBI) Vacancies
19 April 2021The National Bee Unit currently has a number of Seasonal Bee Inspector (SBI) vacancies advertised in the following areas South Kent & East Sussex, South West Devon and South East Wales
If you are interested in applying for the job, full details can be found on Civil Service Jobs.
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Reporting Varroa
12 April 2021Amendments to the Bee Diseases and Pests Control (England) Order 2006, the Bees Diseases and Pest Control (Scotland) Order 2007 and the Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Wales) Order 2006 come into force on the 21st of April 2021 requiring all beekeepers and/or officials in GB to report the presence of Varroa in any of the hives that they manage. This amendment will allow Great Britain to comply with the Animal Health Law which is necessary for future working relationships with the European Union.
To make this simple, a tick box will be introduced to BeeBase, the voluntary register for beekeepers managed by the National Bee Unit. This will be the easiest way to report Varroa but an alternative mechanism will be provided for those who do not wish to register on the BeeBase system. Details of this alternative system will be provided after 21st April. If Scottish Beekeepers wish to, they can report varroa by contacting the Scottish Bee Health Inspectors (BeesMailbox@gov.scot).
Although Varroa is known to be widespread, it continues to be one of the most serious pests faced by beekeepers. Reporting Varroa will contribute to the overall pest and disease surveillance work of the National Bee Unit and the Scottish Bee Health Inspectorate. We are grateful for your assistance with this new simple measure.
No action will be required until after 21st April. -
2020 Hive Count
29 March 2021More than 10,000 beekeepers, a record number, updated their details on BeeBase during this year's hive count. There are currently more than 44,000 beekeepers registered on BeeBase, meaning that around 23% participated.
This year’s hive count produced a figure of 260,268 colonies in the UK. This is slightly lower than the 2019 figure of 263,896. It is necessary to make a number of assumptions in the calculation, and so the figure is classed as an experimental statistic.
The Hive Count provides a very useful indication of the number of managed colonies in the UK, and helps to ensure that BeeBase records are kept up to date. Information about numbers and location of hives is very important for National Bee Unit inspectors in terms of preparing and planning for outbreaks of disease and exotic pests.
Thank you very much to everyone who has taken time to ensure that their BeeBase information is up to date.