BBKA Examination Structure
BeeCraft have produced a great infographic to represent the structure of the BBKA Examination paths.
Feel free to download it and use as a referenence for your own route to a deeper understanding of beekeeping.
Knowledge Articles
Is your garden buzzing?
Tim Riggs explains why gardeners need to protect pollinating insects, and suggests how.
One of the dreamy delights of a garden is the sound of buzzing insects as they move from flower to flower, gorging on nectar and transferring or collecting pollen. If we like to save our own seed, or wish to encourage self-seeding, these pollinators are welcome agents of fertilisation, and of course they pollinate our apples, pears, plums and raspberries, but whether we benefit directly or not, we can enjoy their presence. A garden devoid of bees, hoverflies and butterflies is unthinkable.
Obtaining Your First Bees And Starting Beekeeping
There are numerous good sites offering sound advice about how to source your first bees.
This is simple sound advice and can be expanded on by further reading.
You can ask other bee keepers, but remember the old adage if you ask three experienced beekeepers the same question you will get at least 5 answers.
How Many Hives Should I Have
Obviously you have to start with one. You could buy 2 lots of bees or get two nuclei.
It is important to go steadily – doing too much at the start it is often easy to get carried away at start.
Having started with one colony. First lesson:
Beginner's Equipment
Beginners equipment: What do you need and how to source.
It depends what you want. Also how much you want to spend.
The first lesson is :
BeeBase
Beebase News Web feed-
New Appointments within the National Bee Unit
14 January 2022We are pleased to announce the temporary appointment of Dhonn Atkinson as the National Bee Inspector (NBI) whilst the current NBI Cristina Ruiz is on maternity leave. Dhonn has held a variety of roles across the National Bee Unit and Animal and Plant Health Agency where he held the role of Regional Bee Inspector for the North East of England.
Following the retirement of Keith Morgan, Colin Pavey, and shortly Frank Gellatly and the temporary promotion of Sandra Gray, we are pleased to confirm the following movements and appointments:-
Regional Bee Inspector for Western England – Jonathan Axe has been promoted from the role of Seasonal Bee Inspector.
Regional Bee Inspector for Eastern England - Pete Davies, an experienced manager has moved from the Central England Region.
Regional Bee Inspector for Central England - John Geden. John joins the National Bee Unit as an experienced bee farmer.
Regional Bee Inspector for South East – Daniel Etheridge a seasonal bee inspector has been offered a temporary promotion to manage this area.
Regional Bee Inspector for Wales – Maggie Gill has been promoted from the role of Seasonal Bee Inspector.
Regional Bee Inspector for North East England – David Bough a seasonal bee inspector has been offered a temporary promotion to manage this area.
For full up to date details please visit the contacts page -
Seasonal Bee Inspector (SBI) vacancies
21 December 2021The National Bee Unit currently has a Seasonal Bee Inspector (SBI) vacancy advertised in:
East England: Norfolk.
North East England: East Yorkshire
Mid-South Wales: Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, South Pembrokeshire, West Carmarthenshire
West England: South East Shropshire, South Staffordshire, North West Worcestershire
If you are interested in applying for these jobs, full details can be found on Civil Service Jobs
If you have any questions regarding the position, please contact the Regional Bee Inspector for the area.
Closing date for application: 16th January 2022 -
Bee Health Advisory Forum - Science Advisor
08 November 2021The Bee Health Advisory Forum brings Defra & Welsh Government policy and stakeholders together to discuss honey bee health issues and is inviting expressions of interest from applicants interested in being Bee Health Advisory Forum Science Advisors. The closing date for applications is Friday 17th December at 17:00.
Full details about the role can be downloaded here and can be found on the Bee Health Advisory page. Please circulate to prospective advisors or feel free to apply.