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Scottish Beekeepers' Association Supporting Scotland's Bees and Beekeepers |
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Our new development officer will play a major role in driving and implementing our strategic aims and objectives. Michelle will focus on:
This exciting, additional focus should ensure that the association continues to thrive well into the future for many generations to come. |
The SBA has taken a major step forward with the appointment of Michelle Berry as our new Development Officer, the first paid position with the SBA since its inception in 1942.- Details
Beekeepers are reporting colonies on the verge of starvation following a particularly poor run of weather in July. Especially at times of year when colonies are committed to raising a lot of brood, starvation can happen remarkably quickly. The forecast for the next week is not much better, so this is a gentle reminder to check the level of stores in your colonies. Any colonies which are particularly light can be saved by any of the usual feeding methods.
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At the SBA Council Meeting on Saturday 15 November, members present indicated that they would like the strongest possible action to be taken to prevent access of the Small Hive Beetle, Aethina tumida, into Scotland.
As a result, the Executive Committee agreed at their meeting on Saturday 29 November, that the following request be made to the Scottish Government.
'The SBA urges that all possible measures are taken to prevent the introduction of small hive beetle into the UK. These should include a cessation of trade in live bees from the rest of Europe for 2015 until the true spread of the pest is better known.'
A letter with this request has been sent to Scottish Government.
Bron Wright, SBA President
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Research at the Universities of St Andrews and Dundee has confirmed that levels of neonicotinoid insecticides accepted to exist in agriculture cause both impairment of bumblebees' brain cells and subsequent poor performance by bee colonies. Read more...
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Small hive beetle has been intercepted at a sentinel apiary in southern Italy.
It is not yet known for sure whether the beetle has spread beyond the port area in Calabria in which it was found, but a contact tells me that eradication is still being considered as an option. There is currently a mission of Italian and EU experts (from the EU Reference laboratory for bee health in France) on the spot assisting the local authorities. They are already inspecting migratory hives which had been in an area of 20km around the site of detection and, I understand, the response also includes a cordon of 100km around the site where trade in bees is not permitted. However there is a real possibility that we now have this pest on the loose in Europe.