Bee Question Time

NBA Bee Question Time – 14 November 2019 Panel members’ bios

Matthew Richardson

Matthew Richardson has been keeping bees for 12 years as manager at
the University of Edinburgh's apiary at Kings Buildings. Matthew holds the
Scottish Expert Bee Master qualification, and regularly takes part in
teaching for both the University and local associations. He is the first
point of contact for swarm calls for EMBA and also looks after their
website. Matthew developed a bee identification App “Beedentify”, is an
examiner for the SBA Basic Beekeepers Certificate exam and is currently
studying for the National Diploma in Beekeeping.

John Hoskin

John Hoskin is a full-time beekeeper with 46 years’ experience
specialising in the production of Scottish bred Buckfast & Carniolan Queen
bees, and nuclei, and if the season allows the production of honey
generally follows. John is a Director of Bee Craft magazine, and the
author of the "Bee Scene" articles. He is a participating Bee Farmer to the
"Scottish Bee Company" and today manages a large number of their
colonies for honey production. His travels have allowed him to work and
gain experience with commercial beekeepers in California, the American
mid-west, the American North East, Queen breeders in Florida and further
afield in Nova Scotia and East Asia. John is also qualified in the technique
of artificial insemination of Queen bees and has all the relevant
insemination instruments. A member of the "Bee Farmers Association" his
advice to beginner beekeepers would be "to be a successful beekeeper,
you must never forget that on a percentage basis, beekeeping is 98%
Observation & Patience, the other 2% is pain".

Jane Slight

Jane took up beekeeping some 20+ years ago when she needed a hobby
that took her away from my young family! She was lucky enough to find
an active beekeeping association with honey shows, fascinating speakers
and apiary visits all within walking distance in the village where she lived
– West Linton. The furthest she travelled was to the heather honey site
near Broughton! Things change, life takes over and at times her
beekeeping has been on the back burner. But, unlike knitting socks
(another hobby) where you pick up from where you left off, the bees have
ravelled another conundrum for her to manage! She loves the whole
biology of bees, the abundant information available on the net and the
amazing photos. Jane is an examiner for the SBA Basic Beekeeper
Certificate exam and comments she is lucky enough to contribute to the
SBA Education committee.
BQT Chair bio

Alan Riach FIMechE

Alan Riach is a chartered engineer who worked as an automobile design
and development director before retiring.
He has kept bees as a hobby for about 30 years and usually has about a
dozen hives. He has attained the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association (SBA),
Expert Bee Master Certificate, the senior SBA qualification, and is also a
Honey Judge.
Since retiring Alan has been the Education Convener of The Scottish
Beekeepers’ Association (SBA), Scotland’s leading honeybee charity, and
is responsible for organising the SBA practical and theory examinations in
beekeeping, microscopy and honey judging. He is also responsible for
disseminating information about beekeeping at shows such as the Royal
Highland and has collaborated with the Royal Highland Society Education
Trust (RHET) in producing video clips for schools.
Alan is a member of the Edinburgh & Midlothian Beekeepers Association
(EMBA), one of the 46 local beekeeping associations in Scotland most of
which are affiliated to the SBA and helps to run the beginner’s classes for
EMBA and Roslin.
Alan is currently President of the SBA.