Newbattle Beekeepers Association

Click Here to Watch the Video 

Randy Oliver: Science and beekeeping - Randy’s talk is based on his recent applied research carried out in his apiaries in California, including his testing of pollen substitutes and determination of what makes some better, concepts for successful varroa management, extended-release oxalic acid, bee drifting, and a test of probiotics. Randy Oliver sees beekeeping through the eyes of a biologist, building a small commercial beekeeping enterprise in the foothills of Northern California. His sons now manage around 1,500 colonies for migratory pollination, and produce queens, nuclei, and honey, freeing Randy to engage full-time in beekeeper-funded research projects. Randy analyses and digests the scientific research, and is in touch with beekeepers and researchers from all over the world, in order to not only broaden his own depth of knowledge, but to figure out best management practices for beekeepers everywhere, which he then happily shares through his various articles in bee magazines, his speaking engagements, and on his website:

ScientificBeekeeping.com

Scottish National Honey Show Hurry! Free entry the Scottish National Honey Show competition in Dundee closes soon, this Saturdaythe 23rd of September.  With everything from novice classes, honey, beeswax, crafts, baking, photography and mead with classes for schools there's a competition to suit everyone! So why not enter and have a go, and you never know! The schedule and entry form can be found below Click Here to Download Schedule           Staging is between 16:00 - 19:00 on Friday the 29th of September and 08:00 -09.30 on Saturday the 30th of September in Baldragon Academy The honey show is on at the same time and place as the annual beekeeping convention with Baldragon Beekeepers' Association, so why not combine the two? For more information and to book tickets to the convention on the 30th September  click here Ticket sales close Sunday, 24th September.

SBA October Webinar The webinar is free and open to all, just register your attendance beforehand for access on the night. There is a guest panel for the first webinar on Friday the 6th of October at 19:30 - Enid Brown, Joyce Nisbet, Paul Boyle and John Goodwin will be the panel of experts.  This internationally acclaimed honey judging, and award-winning panel are happy to answer all questions on honey shows and exhibiting. If you would like to pose a question in advance, please email the webinar host, Gino Jabbar by clicking on the link below.I would like to pose a question to the panel To book your free place use the registration link below I want to register for the webinar

The Scottish Government Bee Health Team issue a European Foulbrood Notice informing beekeepers across Scotland of an outbreak of European Foulbrood (EFB) in honey bees in the Dunblane area. This s the first outbreak of EFB detected in recent years.

The outbreak concerns a single hive. EFB was confirmed by SASA on 12 September 2023. BeeBase registered beekeepers within 3km of the infected apiary have been alerted via BeeBase

It is not suggested that beekeepers carry out a full foulbrood inspection but to inspect thoroughly once the weather allows next season. Remove hives that have died as soon as possible. Clean all equipment from dead outs. Do not re-use frames, comb, honey or equipment from dead out hives if unsure as to the reason for the colony's demise.

If foulbrood - AFB or EFB is suspected there is a legal requirement to notify The Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team bees_mailbox@gov.scot  

Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations have announced that the 2025 Congress will be held in: 

and the 2027 Congress in:

Visit the Apimondia Website to Find Out More

European FoulBrood in a Nuc

Watch the Video Here

If you are planning to sit a Module examination in the November 23 diet the deadline for submitting your application is 30 September, 23

You can register and pay the examination fee Here 

Volunteers in Jersey are training teams of people from across the UK.

Find out more from the BBC News website  Here

The first study group session was held earlier in the week for Module 5 - Honey Bee Biology. Next week will see the first study group session for Module 8 - Beekeeping & Honey Bee Management.

The Scottish Beekeepers Association  publish a list of recommended reading for those preparing for the examinations.

For Module One the books are:

Guide to Bees & Honey - Ted Hooper

Practical Beekeeping - Clive de Bruyn

Study Notes - Basic Book, Green Book & Orange Book - JD & BD Yates

A Case of Hives - L Heath

For Module Eight the books are:

Study Notes - Basic Book, Green Book and Orange Book - JD & BD Yates

Dance Language & Orientation of Bees - K von Frich 

Great Masters of Beekeeping - R Brown

A Manual of Beekeeping - EB Wedmore

Check out the Bee Academy Librarika Online Library Catalogue to check the availability of these books to borrow from the Bee Academy Library.

Find out more about the library, the book catalogue and how to borrow books Here 

"The only thing you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library"

Albert Einstein

• From the Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team 
  

  To let you know that the team and Fiona Highet from SASA have developed a map with what is believed to be the current distribution of Varroa in Scotland. The map highlights areas where Varroa is currently reported as not present as well as areas where particular care is needed due to the low or unknown reported Varroa status.

  Varroa continues to be one of the main causes of honeybee colony losses in Scotland and is considered endemic in the UK except in some small pockets in remote areas of Scotland.

• Please note that this does not represent official status as no official government surveillance has been conducted. Varroa records on BeeBase, alongside historical SASA records and reports from Scottish beekeepers, were used to map areas to the best of our knowledge where Varroa was reported present; areas where reports were mixed (i.e. smaller localised areas within the area reporting presence/absence); and areas where there were no reports of Varroa. The map also highlights that the islands of Colonsay and Oronsay are Black Bee reserves and that it is illegal to move bees from mainland UK or anywhere else into them.  

What we have done so far

We have developed a communications strategy using the map to raise awareness of Varroa-free areas and the importance of protecting these areas by not moving bees from Varroa affected areas. This is of particular importance to islands such as Orkney, which are currently reported as Varroa free. Our aim is to reach as many beekeepers as possible, using a variety of different communication channels and approaches in order to minimise the spread of the mite. 

We have designed a poster and flyer for public distribution. See the poster on the home page of the website and download a copy or copies of the flier  From Here The poster was on display at the Royal Highland Show in the Scottish Beekeepers Association (SBA) Honey Tent where it received a warm reception. Work is underway for posters to be displayed in ferry ports to Islands currently Varroa absent.  Colonsay and Oronsay, as mentioned are specific cases and their protected status does not relate to Varroa, but as an AMM (black bee) nature reserve, however, they are also reported as Varroa free areas and we will also issue specific posters for ports connecting these islands with the mainland. Our Bee Health Advisor, Lorraine Johnston has recently produced an article for the SBA magazine on this topic and the SBA have posted the map on their Facebook pages.

What you can do to help

You can help spread the message about the importance of limiting the spread of Varroa by using your communication channels to promote the map and its messaging. As well as sharing this information with your members, for those associations in the Varroa free areas, you may wish to place flyers and posters in locations where you think your members (and non-member beekeepers) are likely to see it, for example, local libraries, supermarket noticeboards, garden centres, DIY stores, pet shops, farm shops, farm supply shops and anywhere else you feel would raise awareness in your area. You can print out copies of the attached poster and flyer, or, if you do not have facilities to do this, please contact us at Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot to request copies. 

The purpose is to raise awareness and to avoid the movement of bees from Varroa affected areas due to misinformation or lack of knowledge. 

Additional information

Please remember that Varroa is a reportable pest and it is a legal requirement for all beekeepers to report the presence of the pest. For ease, as per our previous communications, all registered beekeepers in BeeBase were marked as having Varroa, so if you are registered on BeeBase and in an area with Varroa, you do not need to do anything.

However:

• If you are not registered on BeeBase and wish to report Varroa, please do so by either registering on BeeBase (it is free) or emailing our team.
• If you do not have Varroa in your hives and are registered on BeeBase, please access your record, and change your status to Varroa not present.

We recommend that all beekeepers register with BeeBase to keep up to date with disease and pest information. To register and for further information about how to identify, manage and report Varroa, please visit Varroa » APHA - National Bee Unit - BeeBase

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot

 

Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team