Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP) Annual Report 2024

Achievements and progress

Education and Events

Bee Health Days

Building on the success of last year’s event in Coatbridge and to provide beekeepers from across the country with access to this experience, the Scottish Government and SASA, in collaboration with the SBA, SRUC, NDB, and the local association, decided to hold the Bee Health Day at the SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) Craibstone Campus in Aberdeen. The event took place in July, with the location selected in response to requests from the Aberdeen and District Beekeepers' Association.

The Bee Health Day, which charged £25 per person to cover costs, is excellent value for money. The event featured informative talks on topics such as disease prevention, hive hygiene, Varroa, Small Hive Beetle, and the Yellow-legged (formerly Asian) hornet. Practical workshops were also held, offering hands-on demonstrations of frames containing live foulbrood disease, methods of comb replacement including the Bailey comb exchange and shook swarm techniques, as well as the opportunity to examine Varroa floor samples under microscopes.

The event was fully subscribed and the feedback received was wholly positive from those who attended the event, with every attendee who provided feedback noting that they achieved a better awareness of notifiable bee diseases, good husbandry and management practices by the end of the course.

The location for the Bee Health Day in 2025 will be determined in partnership with the BHIP, considering requests from associations.

Association-led Bee Health Days

To explore and develop effective ways of providing education to the sector, the SRUC Bee Health Advisor, Lorraine Johnston, has been trialling association-led Bee Health Days, offering support to associations in organising their own events. The first association-led Bee Health Day took place in August 2024 at Dunblane and Stirling Beekeepers Association, with assistance from the SRUC Bee Health Advisor. Other associations have since expressed interest in hosting similar events.

ApiScotia

ApiScotia is a SBA-led residential event targeted at SBA members who have achieved the SBA Basic Beekeeping Certificate and wish to advance their knowledge. The 2024 event was held in May at Dumfries House in Ayrshire and received positive feedback from those who attended. ApiScotia allows hands on experience for beekeepers and part of the weekend is focussed on bee health. The BHIP agreed it should support future events by contributing its expertise and knowledge when in a position to do so.

Varroa Working Group and Varroa Learning Package

The Varroa Working Group (VWG) was established as a sub-group of the main BHIP comprising of expert stakeholders and government officials.

The group’s aim was to improve the education and knowledge of Varroa management and control in Scotland. To deliver this objective, the VWG decided to create Varroa management guidance for Scottish beekeepers taking into consideration Scotland’s climate, honey flow calendar and management practices. The Scottish Varroa Learning Package was published in Autumn 2024 and is available to download from BeeBase.

The group coordinated with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to address Scotland-specific issues regarding the application of Varroa treatments. While labelling falls under the responsibility of manufacturers, and the approval of Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) is handled by the VMD, guidance on specific treatments and disposal methods for Varroa in Scotland is included in the Scottish Varroa Learning Package. The VMD also oversees matters related to medicinal residues in honey. Field data on this issue, including concerns about misuse of medicines, has been shared with both Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the VMD to help inform policy decisions. Additionally, Scottish beekeepers have been given clear channels for reporting concerns or providing intelligence on misuse.

With the successful achievement of the objectives set for the VWG, the Chair, Matthew Richardson recommended to the BHIP the dissolution of the group, a recommendation which was approved. This decision was made with appreciation for all the contributions and in recognition of the successful fulfilment of the group's aims.

Attendance at events

Royal Highland Show

In June 2024, Jim Fairlie MSP, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, visited the honey tent at the Royal Highland Show. The tent was hosted by the Scottish Beekeepers Association (SBA), where Mr Fairlie had the opportunity to engage with those interested in honey bees and the beekeeping community. During the visit, he discussed various issues affecting the beekeeping sector, providing a platform for beekeepers to raise their concerns and share their experiences. Representatives from the Honey Bee Health Team, comprising SG, SRUC and SASA officials attended the event where they hosted a stand with posters on Yellow-legged (formerly Asian) hornet, useful information sheets and launched the new European foulbrood (EFB) heat map.

Scottish Beekeepers’ Association Annual Convention

The Scottish Beekeepers Association Annual Convention took place in Kinross in September 2024. At the convention, the Honey Bee Health Team was represented by the SRUC Bee Health Advisor, a SASA official, and a Bee Inspector. The team hosted an informative stand featuring posters, leaflets, and a Yellow-legged (formerly Asian) hornet model to raise awareness about bee health and the threats facing honey bees. The team members enjoyed the event, engaging with beekeepers and sharing valuable information with the beekeeping community.

Availability of and access to education

The BHIP acknowledges the need to reach very rural and island beekeeping communities, as well as individuals who are not part of established beekeeping associations. To effectively address this need, it is crucial to explore and implement diverse media facilitating learning across the whole country, as well as providing learning that beekeepers can access at their own pace and convenience. In 2024, the Bee Health Advisor has developed podcasts on beekeeping and monitoring Varroa and beekeeping and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to make beekeeping education more fully accessible to all Scottish beekeepers. To listen to the Bee Health Advisors podcasts, please visit the SRUC website.