Scottish Beekeepers Association

April Webinar An Introduction to Top Bar Beekeeping with Phil Chandler
2025-04-02 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Online
Ever wondered what it would be like to keep bees in a Top Bar hive, well now’s your chance to find out more.
Join us for our last Winter Webinar in this series on the 2nd of April.
Joining us will be Phil Chandler, aka the Barefoot Beekeeper www.biobees.com to discuss the fascinating subject of Top Bar beekeeping and his philosophy of keeping bees.

Royal Highland Show
2025-06-19 08:00 - 2025-06-22 17:00 | Ingliston, Edinburgh, Royal Highland Show Ground, Edinbugh, EH28 8NB, United Kingdom
Honey Tent at the Royal Highland Show
Join us on the 19th to 22nd of June in the Honey Tent at this year’s Royal Highland Show.
Whether you’re a curious visitor or an experienced beekeeper, there’s something for everyone in this vibrant and educational space dedicated to the wonders of bees and beekeeping.
You can find out more about what happens in the Honey tent by clicking here
To find our more about the Royal Highland Show please visit
https://www.royalhighlandshow.org/
And we’re looking for volunteer stewards to help in the tent and engage with the many thousands of visitors who pop in each day. If you’ve got some knowledge and experience of honey bees and beekeeping, or have just started a beginner’s course then please do consider it.
To volunteer please complete our online registration form before the 18th MAY 2025, via the link below
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RHS25Volunteer
The Honey tent wouldn’t exist without all the wonderful competition entries, so if you’d like to have a go at entering one of the many competitions you can download the competition schedule via the link below, but hurry as entries close on the 19th MAY 2025.
https://www.royalhighlandshow.org/trade-competitions/competitions/other-comps/
We look forward to seeing you there!

Honey Workshop
2025-09-13 10:00 - 16:00 | Cawdor Community Centre, Cawdor, Nairn, IV12 5XR
SBA PRACTICAL WORKSHOP
HONEY
– Its Production, Harvesting, Extraction & Filtering, Blending/Seeding and Preparation for Market
Join us for a one-day SBA Workshop to be held on Saturday 13th September 2025 at Portmoak Hall, Scotlandwell, KY13 9HY. The workshop will run from 10 am to 4 pm.
Delegates will get hands-on experience extracting, filtering, and processing honey. The course will also include presentations on optimising colonies for the production of honey, extraction methods, as well as advice on preparing honey for the market.
Cost
SBA Members: £50
Non-members: £60
To book your place please visit
https://buytickets.at/sba/1739150
The last date for applications is 6th September 2025. Places are limited, so ensure you book early.

Annual Convention
2025-10-10 19:00 - 2025-10-11 17:00 | Loch Leven Community Campus, Muirs, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, KY13 8FQ, United Kingdom
SBA Annual Beekeeping Convention 2025
10th & 11th October 2025
📍Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross, KY13 8FQ, Scotland
Join us for a fantastic weekend of practical workshops, guest lectures, and networking opportunities at the SBA Annual Beekeeping Convention 2025!
Theme: Quality Matters
Friday Night Practical Workshops – 10th October (from 7pm)
Start your weekend with two hands-on workshops:
✔️ Mead Making – Learn the art of crafting this traditional honey-based drink.
✔️ Preparing for a Honey Show – Expert tips to get your entries ready for competition.
Cost: Free for Saturday delegates | £5 for Friday-only attendees
Saturday 11th October – Guest Speakers & More!
✨ Keynote Speaker: Megan Denver (USA) giving talks on
‘Beekeeping for Rural Development: The Opportunities and Challenges in Africa’ and also ‘Practical Considerations of Genetics in Sustainable Beekeeping’
✨ Keynote Speaker: Prof Stephen Martin (Salford University) talking about
‘The Ongoing Arms Race between Honeybees and the Varroa mite’ and
‘Insect Cuckoos and the World of Chemical Recognition’
🛍 Trade Stalls – Explore the latest beekeeping equipment and products.
🎟 Raffle – Great prizes up for grabs!
🍽 Food Included – Enjoy a delicious lunch & breakfast rolls as part of your delegate package.
To view the programme please visit
Scottish-Beekeepers-Annual-Convention-Programme-2025-1

Scottish National Honey Show
This show is taking place alongside the convention – why not enter your honey, wax, baking, photos or mead and showcase your skills?
Why Attend?
✅ Gain insights from top beekeeping experts
✅ Network with fellow beekeepers from across Scotland
✅ Learn practical skills in our workshops
✅ Discover the latest beekeeping products
📅 Save the Date – 10th & 11th October 2025!
🎟 Early bird tickets £30 for adults until 31st of July then it’s £35. Juniors and students £15
To BOOK YOUR PLACE please visit
https://buytickets.at/sba/1634650

Scottish National Honey Show 2025
2025-10-11 08:00 - 16:00 | Loch Leven Community Campus, Muirs, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, KY13 8FQ, United Kingdom
Scottish National Honey Show 2025
Saturday, 11th October 2025
Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross
Our annual honey show takes place this year at the same time as our annual convention in Kinross on the weekend of the 10th and 11th of October. With a variety of competition classes, there’s sure to be one to suit you! Entry is free, so why not have a go, and you could be adding ‘Award Winning’ to your promotions!
To download the full schedule and rules, please click below
https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SNHS-schedule-and-rules-2025.pdf
The Entry Form can be downloaded via the link below
https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SNHS-entry-form-2025.docx
Staging of Exhibits: From 1600 hours – 1900 hours on Friday, 10th October 2025 and between 8am – 9am on Saturday, 11th October 2025
Judging starts at 9.30am on Saturday, 11th October 2025
No entry fee but no prizes other than certificates for the following:-
First, Second, Third and, if appropriate, Very Highly Commended, Highly Commended and Commended.
There will also be certificates accompanying any trophies awarded.
Registration: Free entry by completing the entry form and returning it by email to enid.brown@scottishbeekeepers.org.uk before the closing date of Saturday, 4th October 2025
Entries will be accepted after 4th October and on the days of the conference, but there will be a £5 donation.

Module Examinations November 2025
2025-11-15 | Online or exam centres (TBC)
SBA Module Exams will be held on 15th November 2025
Please apply by 30th September
Modules 1 to 8 will be offered including the Plants and Pollinators (P&P) module 4.
Note: Module 8 can not be sat until all other modules (except P&P) have been completed.
Applicants must be SBA Members, but do not need to have obtained their Basic or Junior certificates.
The exams will be offered in Online and Written (exam centre) format. Online will require an open computer (work computers are often locked down). Exam centres will be set up in various geographic locations dependent on application numbers – you may have to travel.
The exam fee is £28. You can apply using the link below
Apply and pay online
or complete the Exam Application Form and send it with the fee to the Education Officer
Jackie Elliott (Jackie@scientificbeekeeping.co.uk ) will administer the Online exams.
Alan Riach will administer the Written exams.
When applying, please state whether you require Online or Written.
Please remember to check the syllabus for each module, which can be found in the Education pages of our website, along with some guidance on sitting the exams, link below
Education

November Webinar The Arctic Beekeeper with Einar Johansen
2025-11-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Online
Join us for the first online webinar of our winter series, when we are delighted to welcome Einar Johansen, the Arctic Beekeeper.
Einar is a sideline beekeeper based in Lofoten, Northern Norway, at 68° North. He manages 30 colonies in one of the world’s northernmost apiaries, where his bees must survive over seven months of winter confinement. The region is free of Varroa and other bee diseases. Aside from very limited queen imports for new genetics, he is self-sufficient. His Arctic beekeeping is shaped by extreme weather and long winters, requiring careful adaptation and timing to succeed in a very narrow biological window. His honey is primarily derived from willow, dandelion, white clover, lilac, fireweed, and heather.
Our webinars are free to SBA members and £2 for Non-Members.
To book your place, please click here

December Webinar Cocos Keeling Bee Project with Paula Carnell
2025-12-09 19:30 - 21:00 | Online
In the next webinar of our winter series, we’re delighted to welcome Paula Carnell and she will taking us on a journey to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean to tell us about her Bee Project there.
A medical herbalist and global consultant on beekeeping and the healing powers of honey, Paula is particularly interested in the connection between bees’ health and our own. To find out more about Paula, visit https://paulacarnell.com/
Our webinars are free to SBA members and £2 for Non-Members.
To book your place, please click here

January Webinar The European Hornet with Prof Steve Martin
2026-01-07 19:30 - 21:00 | Online
In January, we welcome Prof Stephen Martin, a familiar face to those who attended our convention. Prof Martin shall be discussing our native hornet, the European Hornet.
Stephen has studied social insects (bees, wasps, termites and ants) for most of his career. His areas of specialisation are the ‘hornet ecology’, ‘pest and diseases of honeybees’ and ‘chemical ecology of ants’. He holds a Chair in Social Entomology in the School of Environmental and Life Sciences at Salford University, Manchester. Prior to that, he spent 12 years working at Sheffield University, 7 years with the National Bee Unit and 7 years in Japan conducting research into hornets.
Our webinars are free to SBA members and £2 for Non-Members.
To book your place, please click here

Local Association Award Nominations
2026-01-31
NOMINATE YOUR ASSOCIATION WINNERS
It’s that time of year when we ask affiliated local association secretaries to gather nominations for those members who go above and beyond for your association. Our ABA Award is given to beekeepers in recognition of the quality of their contribution within their local association, and for their active promotion of the art of beekeeping in the environment of that association. The recipient must have been an SBA member for at least 7 years (we can check this for you). For more details on all the SBA awards please click here.
If you have someone in mind, please send your award nominations to our Secretary via email by the 31st of January.
secretary@scottishbeekeepers.org.uk

Young Beekeepers Award
2026-01-31 | Online
YOUNG BEEKEEPERS’ AWARD
We’re buzzing with excitement to announce that nominations are open for our Scottish Young Beekeepers’ Award! This award celebrates Scotland’s young beekeepers (under 18 years old) who are making a real difference in their local environment, supporting bees, and inspiring others. Whether they’ve helped grow a hive, educate their community, or shown outstanding dedication to beekeeping, we want to hear their story!
Do you know a young beekeeper who deserves recognition? Nominations are now open!
Download the award criteria and nomination guidance here.
The winner will have the honour of being recognised as one of Scotland’s most inspiring young beekeepers. The awards are normally presented at our Annual General Meetings, or in the award recipient’s local area.
Let’s celebrate the next generation of beekeepers! Spread the word and submit your nominations today! The closing date for nominations is Sunday 31st January 2026.

February Webinar Bottom-Up Beekeeping with Ray Baxter
2026-02-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Online
In February with Ray Baxter, we explore how to use the debris from the hive floor as an indicator of colony activity and a way to interpret what’s happening inside and outside of the colony.
Ray’s passion for beekeeping started fifteen years ago when he was working as a biology teacher. His initial plan was to learn more about honey bees and share this experience with high school students in the biology classroom. This quickly developed from being an occasional lesson into an extracurricular bee club, to putting beekeeping on the school timetable as a Scottish National Progression Award (GCSE level) and supporting other schools with the development of their own beekeeping qualifications.
Our webinars are free to SBA members and £2 for Non-Members.
To book your place, please click here

Ulster Beekeepers Annual Conference
2026-02-13 08:00 - 2026-02-14 17:00 | Greemount Campus, CAFRE Greenmount Campus, Antrim, BT41 4PS
ULSTER BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE
13th to 14th FEB 2026, GREENMOUNT CAMPUS, ANTRIM
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME, BEEKEEPING IN THE 21st CENTURY
TWO DAYS OF CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE, PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING WORKSHOPS.
Workshops include:
Honey Extraction, Microscopy, Working with Wax, Skep Making, Encaustic Art, Mead Making and Simple Skincare Products from beeswax & honey
Speakers include:
Margarita M Lopez – Uribe Sao Carlos Universit,y Brazil
Prof. Alice Pinto – Polytechnic Inst. Braganca, Portugal
Peter Davies – National Bee Unit
Maggie Gill – PHIRA Science/DEFRA
Jack Silberrad – National Bee Unit
Rebecca Coleman – E H Thorne Ltd
Jonathan Getty – NIHBS
Dr Grace McCormack – University of Galway

March Webinar Different Philosophies of Honey Judging with Gino Jabbar
2026-03-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Online
Our last winter webinar of this series is with our webinar host Dr Gino Jabbar. On Tuesday 10th of March, we welcome Gino and he shall be talking about the different philosophies of honey judging. The UK and Irish, Italian and French systems of honey judging will be summarised and discussed.
Dr Gino Jabbar is a Physicist, Bee Farmer, and Honey Sensory Analyst based in Edinburgh. Simply Honey produces multi-award-winning honey from bees kept in the City of Edinburgh and the surrounding Lothian regions. He is a Scottish Expert Bee Master and a Member of the prestigious Italian National Register of Experts in the Sensory Analysis of Honey. He is an International Honey Judge for several international contests, including The Great Taste Awards. Gino is actively involved with Honey education and contributes to new science as a member of the International Honey Commission. He serves as a trustee for The Scottish Beekeepers Association and is also the director with responsibility for Scotland for the Bee Farmers Association.
Our webinars are free to SBA members and £2 for Non-Members.
To book your place, please click here

Module Examinations March 2026
2026-03-21 | Online or exam centres (TBC)
SBA Module Exams will be held on 21st March 2026.
Please apply by 9th February 2026, apply by clicking here
Why not use the winter months to expand your honeybee and beekeeping knowledge and study for one of our module exams?
You can find out all about the different types of modules and topics to study by visiting the Education pages on our website, or click here
Modules 1 to 8 will be offered, but the Plants and Pollinators (P&P) will not be offered until November.
Note: Module 8 can not be sat until all other modules (except P&P) have been completed.
Applicants must be SBA Members, but do not need to have obtained their Basic or Junior certificates.
The exams will be offered in Online and Written (exam centre) format. Online will require an open computer (work computers are often locked down). Exam centres will be set up in various geographic locations dependent on application numbers – you may have to travel.
Jackie Elliott ( Jackie@scientificbeekeeping.co.uk ) will administer the Online exams.
Alan Riach will administer the Written exams.
When applying, please state whether you require Online or Written.
The exam fee is £42
APPLY AND PAY ONLINE
or complete the Exam Application Form and send it with the fee to the Education Officer.

Practical Exams
2026-04-13 | Across Scotland
PRACTICAL EXAMS
Every year we run a series of practical exams in the summer months, where you can demonstrate your practical beekeeping skills and knowledge, and receive the recognition you deserve for all that you know and do!
There are different levels of practical exams, so if you’ve been keeping bees for a few years why not consider sitting our Basic Beekeeping Certificate (or Junior Beekeeper if under 16). For the more experienced beekeepers, we have our Intermediate and Apiarian certificates.
Information about each of these exams can be found by clicking on them or by visiting the Education pages on this website, click here.
To register and pay to sit an exam, please use the link provided in this Event listing or visit https://form.jotform.com/250404948495364
The deadline for registering to sit any of these exams is the 13th of April.

SBA Annual General Meeting
2026-04-25 10:30 - 16:00 | SRUC Craibstone Campus, SRUC Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA
NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE 2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
will be conducted in person at SRUC Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA
on SATURDAY 25th APRIL 2026 from 10.30 am to 1.00 pm
The formal meeting will be followed by lunch and an afternoon of talks, finishing at 4.00 pm
The Agenda for the day can be downloaded here.
MEMBERS SHOULD REGISTER THEIR ATTENDANCE BEFORE 12th of APRIL. Non-Members are welcome to join us for lunch and the afternoon program of talks.
To BOOK YOUR PLACE please click here or the link in this listing.
TRUSTEE NOMINATIONS
Any member wishing to propose resolutions for the AGM or nominations for the position of Trustee and/or Office Bearer should advise the General Secretary of these no later than noon on 28th March 2026. All resolutions and nominations must include the names of the Proposer and the Seconder.
Proposed resolutions should be set out in writing, giving sufficient detail to allow members to understand, judge, and ultimately vote on the matter at the AGM.
The Board may nominate for re-election Trustees and/or Office-Bearers whose tenure will expire at the 2026 AGM and who are eligible for election for a further term. In addition, the Board may nominate Trustees for election to vacant Office-Bearer positions.
The Board encourages further nominations of members to join the Board of Trustees. All nominations must include the signature of the nominee confirming her or his acceptance of the nomination. A nomination form can be downloaded here.
Trustees must be members of the SBA, agree to the Trustees Code of Conduct and must not be disqualified from being a charity trustee under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions to be voted on at the AGM will be emailed to all members and are available on the SBA website in the Members’ area. There are provisions for members who cannot attend the meeting to cast their votes by means of the General Secretary acting as proxy on their behalf. Proxy voting forms are available to download from the SBA website Members’ area, or on request from the General Secretary, from 10th April 2026. The deadline for submitting proxy voting forms is noon on 24th April 2026.
More information on proposing resolutions, making nominations, proxy voting, and the powers and responsibilities of Trustees are available from the General Secretary – secretary@scottishbeekeepers.org.uk

Wax Workshop
2026-05-02 09:45 - 16:00 | Cardrona Village Hall, Cardrona Way, Peebles, EH45 9LJ
WAX WORKSHOP
SATURDAY 2nd MAY
PEEBLES
Join us for a fun and informative one-day SBA WAX Workshop, to be held on Saturday 2nd May 2026 at Cardrona Village Hall, Cardrona, Peebles, EH45 9LD. The workshop will run from 9.45 am to 4 pm.
Delegates will get hands-on experience in the production of moulded candles, dipped candles, wired foundation, polish, moisturising cream, flowers, rolled candles, and wraps.
This would make a lovely gift or entertaining day out with family and friends.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided, but please bring a packed lunch and your own mug.
Cost
SBA Members: £65
Non-members: £75
The last date for applications is the 25th of April 2026.
Places are limited, so ensure you book early.

ApiScotia 2026
2026-05-22 16:00 - 2026-05-24 18:00 | Dumfries House, Near Cumnock, Ayrshire, KA18 2LN, United Kingdom
APISCOTIA 2026
This enjoyable weekend of beekeeping is for SBA members who hold the Basic Beekeeping Certiﬁcate, who have been keeping bees for a few years, and who are ready and willing to support novice beekeepers in their area to keep bees well. This is also an excellent weekend for those looking to work towards their Intermediate exam.
MEET, LEARN, SHARE
MEET
Join us at 4pm on Friday 22nd May for a tour of the Dumfries working farm. Followed at 5pm with a hands-on workshop, bring a sample of your bees for our workshop ‘Under the Microscope – Detecting Nosema’. This is free to attend and open to residential and non-residential participants, just remember to add it to your booking.
The Saturday and Sunday sees a full program of lectures, workshops and apiary practicals.
Make the most of your weekend by staying on site until Monday morning, when we have organised a guided tour of Dumfries House itself (only £17.50 and open to all delegates)
OR enrol in our Train the Trainers course, which is being held onsite on Monday with Margaret Murdin, NDB. This can be booked separately via the SBA Events page on the website, click here.
Sunday night accommodation in the bunkhouse is also available, again please add this to your booking.
LEARN
Our base for the weekend of the 22nd to 24th of May is the MacRobert Farming and Rural Skills Centre. We’ll split into groups and participate in several sessions each day, led by our excellent course tutors: Andy Watson, Graham Torrie, Ilona Shilliday, Malcolm Watson, Margaret Murdin NDB, Matthew Richardson, and Yvonne Davidson.
Across the 2 days the sessions will cover best practice in:
Resilient Beekeeping Queen Rearing
Grafting Techniques Breeding for Varroa Resistance
Local Bees & Drones Making a Cell Raising Colony
Engaging the Community Record Keeping
Introduction to Microscopy & Plant Anatomy
SHARE
Relax and get to know others on the course in the Tamar Manoukian Residential Centre when we all get together. With breakfast, lunch, and snacks included for everyone each day, you won’t go hungry.
OPTION 1: RESIDENTIAL, STAY ONSITE FOR THE WEEKEND
Are you ready for an adventure with friends? We’ve booked the on-site residential centre, aka The Bunkhouse, which comprises separate male and female dormitories with bunk beds for two to eight guests per room. With a variety of extra activities on offer this is the fun place to be.
Residential – Course fees, meals, accommodation on Friday & Saturday – £330
Make the most of your visit to this lovely estate by staying on site until Monday morning. Add Sunday night dinner, bed and breakfast for £120.
If bunk beds aren’t for you, there’s alternative accommodation in the surrounding areas and also camping and caravan sites. Just choose option 2, Non-Residential.
OPTION 2: NON-RESIDENTIAL, TRAVEL IN EACH DAY
There are plenty of places to stay in the surrounding area with Cumnock a 5min drive away, Kilmarnock and Ayr only 20min by car.
Non-Residential – Course fee incl. all training sessions, breakfast, lunch on Saturday & Sunday £230
Junior members who hold the Junior or Basic Beekeeper Certiﬁcates are eligible too. The course and accommodation fee for Juniors is £300 or £200 for non-residents. All Juniors must be accompanied by a paying adult.
BOOKINGS
Tickets are on sale now, please CLICK HERE to book your place. Spaces are limited!
You’ll need your SBA membership number and polo shirt size.

Train the Trainer Course
2026-05-25 | Dumfries House, Near Cumnock, Ayrshire, KA18 2LN, United Kingdom
SBA Train the Trainers Course
In order to enhance the quality of beekeeping courses and mentoring, tutors and mentors are now encouraged to attend the SBA’s Train the Trainer course.
A one-day Train the Trainer course will be held on Monday, 25th May 2026 at Dumfries House, Ayrshire, immediately after the ApiScotia practical beekeeping weekend at the same venue. So you can make a proper weekend of it!
We would encourage ApiScotia delegates and anyone looking to mentor beekeepers in their own associations to attend. To find out more about our ApiScotia weekend, please click here.
Margaret Murdin, NDB is the tutor for this Train the Trainer course.
The aims of this course are:

To help beekeeping tutors understand how adults learn
To help them deliver information more effectively
To enable them to pass on their beekeeping expertise to others so that their students become knowledgeable and competent beekeepers

The course fee is £75. Breakfast rolls and lunch will be provided.
If you are travelling from a distance, we have overnight accommodation available onsite at Dumfries House. We have booked the on-site residential centre, aka The Bunkhouse, which comprises separate male and female dormitories with bunk beds for two to eight guests per room.
For the Sunday night dinner, bed and breakfast, the cost is £120.
Course places are very limited so don’t delay book today!
BOOK YOUR PLACE
Participants who have attended a Train the Trainer course (or possess a professional teaching qualification) and have gained the Intermediate Module or Intermediate Practical certificates can apply for the SBA Beekeeping Trainer Certificate. Please contact the Education team for more information, education@scottishbeekeepers.org.uk

Royal Highland Show
2026-06-18 08:00 - 2026-06-21 17:00 | Ingliston, Edinburgh, Royal Highland Show Ground, Edinbugh, EH28 8NB, United Kingdom
Honey Tent at the Royal Highland Show
Join us on the 18th to 21st of June in the Honey Tent at this year’s Royal Highland Show.
Whether you’re a curious visitor or an experienced beekeeper, there’s something for everyone in this vibrant and educational space dedicated to the wonders of bees and beekeeping.
You can find out more about what happens in the Honey tent by clicking here
To find our more about the Royal Highland Show please visit
https://www.royalhighlandshow.org/
And we’re looking for volunteer stewards to help in the tent and engage with the many thousands of visitors who pop in each day. If you’ve got some knowledge and experience of honey bees and beekeeping, or have just started a beginner’s course then please do consider it.
To volunteer please complete our online registration form before the 17th MAY 2026, via the link below
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RHS26Volunteer
We look forward to seeing you there!
Thank you!

International Meeting of Young Beekeepers IMYB
2026-07-04 08:00 - 2026-07-08 17:00 | Belfast
Exciting News!
This year The International Meeting of Young Beekeepers, IMYB 2026 will be held just across the water in Belfast on the 4th to 8th of July!
We’re delighted to announce Team Scotland, they are Boyd from Dalbeattie, Lameece from Dumfries and both members of South of Scotland Beekeepers’ Association and Leah from Lanark and a member of Lanarkshire Beekeepers’ Association. For more info, please visit the News pages.
If you know of any young beekeepers who’d like to be involved in future Young Beekeeper events please email bron.wright@scottishbeekeepers.org.uk
For IMYB Young Beekeepers need to be over 12 years old and under 18years at the date of the competition. They need to live in Scotland, be SBA members and have passed the SBA Basic Beekeeping or Young Beekeeper Certificate, or who will take either exam in the summer, or who hold a similar beekeeping qualification.
If you’d like to support our young beekeepers at this competition and for future competitions and events, please consider donating today via the link below.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR YOUNG BEEKEEPERS
Investing in young beekeepers today helps secure the future of beekeeping tomorrow.
Many thanks and good luck Team Scotland!

Honey Workshop
2026-09-12 10:00 - 16:00 | Cawdor Community Centre, Cawdor, Nairn, IV12 5XR
SBA PRACTICAL WORKSHOP
HONEY
Join us for a one-day SBA Workshop to be held on Saturday 12th September 2026 at Cawdor Community Centre, Cawdor, Nairn, IV12 5XR. The workshop will run from 10 am to 4 pm.
Subjects covered will include:

What is honey?
Extraction methods
Dealing with OSR and heather honey
Food hygiene and safety
Labelling, Marketing, and Pricing
Preparation of clear and soft-set honey for sale
Showing honey

Participants will get hands-on experience of using a variety of methods of extracting and processing honey.
Cost
SBA Members: £55
Non-members: £65
To book your place please visit
https://buytickets.at/sba/2310101
The last date for applications is 25th August 2026. Places are limited, so ensure you book early. Please remember to bring a mug and packed lunch.

Scottish National Honey Show 2026
2026-09-25 16:00 - 2026-09-26 09:00 | Loch Leven Community Campus, Muirs, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, KY13 8FQ, United Kingdom
Scottish National Honey Show 2026
Saturday, 26th September 2026
Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross
Our annual honey show takes place this year at the same time as our annual convention in Kinross on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of September. With a variety of competition classes, there’s sure to be one to suit you!
Entry is free, so why not have a go, and you could be adding ‘Award Winning’ to your promotions!
Plus, this year we can offer prize monies with grateful thanks to The Wax Chandlers
To download the full schedule and rules, please click below
https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SNHS-schedule-and-rules-2026.pdf
The Entry Form can be downloaded here
Staging of Exhibits: From 1600 hours – 1900 hours on Friday, 25th September 2026 and between 8am – 9am on Saturday, 26th September 2026
Judging starts at 9.30am on Saturday, 26th September 2026
No entry fee but there will be prizes and certificates for the following:-
First, Second, Third and, if appropriate, Very Highly Commended, Highly Commended and Commended.
There will also be certificates accompanying any trophies awarded.
Registration: Free entry by completing the entry form and returning it by email to enid.brown@scottishbeekeepers.org.uk before the closing date of Sunday, 20th September 2026
Entries will be accepted after 20th September and on the days of the conference, but there will be a £5 donation.

SBA Annual Beekeeping Convention
2026-09-25 19:00 - 2026-09-26 17:00 | Loch Leven Community Campus, Muirs, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, KY13 8FQ, United Kingdom
Scottish Beekeepers’ Association
ANNUAL CONVENTION 2026
FRIDAY 25TH SEPT & SATURDAY 26TH SEPT
Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross
GUEST SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Prof Norberto Garcia, from Argentina
Sean Stephenson, Master Beekeeper
Noberto will be discussing ‘Honey Fraud’ and then ‘The Future of Beekeeping’
Sean will be answering the question ‘How Do Bees Do That?’ then sharing ‘Queen Rearing Made Simple!’
On the Friday night, we are delighted to be hosting a couple of talks, by Bees for Development and our Award Winning Young Beekeeper Robert Tulloch. Then the fun really begin with an informative quiz and social evening, and this is open to delegates and non-delegates. Your Quiz Master for the night is Margaret Murdin, NDB.
Early bird tickets are only £30 for an adult and £15 for students/juniors.
This includes the Friday night entry, breakfast rolls and lunch on the Saturday.
For Friday night only the entry cost is £5.
The standard adult price after the 31st July 2026 is £35
To buy your tickets please visit
https://buytickets.at/sba/2089037
A WIDE SELECTION OF TRADE STANDS WILL ALSO BE PRESENT
The programme and talk topics will be available shortly.
It also incorporates the SCOTTISH NATIONAL HONEY SHOW
For the schedule please visit
https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SNHS-schedule-and-rules-2026.pdf
And the entry form can be downloaded here
Honey Show entries can be staged on Friday 25th Sept from 4pm to 7pm and Sat morning from 8am to 9am, with judging beginning at 9.30am on Sat 26th Sept.

Microscopy Exam
2026-10-03 09:30 - 13:00 | Strathbrock Community Centre, 189A Main Street, Broxburn, EH52 5LH, United Kingdom
SBA Microscopy Examination Module 9

This will be held in Strathbrock Community Centre, Broxburn EH52 5LH on Saturday 3rd October 2026
This examination lasts 3 hours and the candidate will need to provide suitable microscopes and equipment necessary to complete the examination. As of 2026, the Microscopy Certificate is required to enter the Scottish Apiarian Examination.
The candidate’s knowledge and skill will be put to the test through a series of practical tasks along with an oral examination.
Please study the Microscopy Syllabus (Issue April 2022) available on the SBA website at
SBA Services /Education /Microscopy https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/sba-services/education/
Applicants must be members of the SBA and have passed their Basic Beekeeping (BB) or Junior Beekeeper (JB) exam. It is also advisable that you should have attended an SBA 2-day microscopy workshop. Please can those who attended the Microscopy two-day Workshop in 2025 or earlier try for the exam. The exam fee is £75.
The exam will be administered by Dr Mark Barnett (Roslin Institute) mwbarnett@me.com
Please apply by 12th September 2026 either online
OR
By post, on an Exam Application form, link below to download the form
https://scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Exam_Application_Form_Word_doc_Aug20215.pdf
and enclosing a cheque for £75 made out to the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association and send this to Mark Barnett, 8 Greenknowe Farm Cottages, Gordon, TD3 6LA.
You’ll need your SBA membership number and your BB or JB certificate number.
Applicants will receive an email acknowledgement by the 19th of September, if you have not heard by this date please contact Mark to ensure you are registered for the exam.
