Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP) Annual Report 2024

Communication, Engagement and Resources

BHIP membership

The BHIP has been proactive in reaching out to various bee-related organisations and individuals to ensure a broad and fair representation of beekeeping in Scotland.

We were delighted that David Evans, from The Apiarist , agreed to join the BHIP as an advisory member in July 2024, and that Gavin Ramsay from the Scottish Native Honey Bee Society (SNHBS) became a contributor to the group in November.

Also in November, Margaret Thomas, the representative from the National Diploma in Beekeeping (NDB), stepped down from her role in the BHIP. Mrs Thomas played a crucial role in the development of the Scottish Government’s Honey Bee Health Strategy and the inception of the BHIP in 2010 and has supported and advanced its work over the last 15 years. In recognition of her significant contributions to this important work and to the beekeeping generally in Scotland, Mr Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, wrote to Mrs Thomas on behalf of the Scottish Government, expressing appreciation for all her efforts, this appreciation echoed by all her fellow members of the BHIP.

European Foulbrood (EFB) heat map

The BHIP identified EFB control as a key issue and set an action to create a heat map which shows the current understanding of its distribution in Scotland to highlight where particular care should be taken when moving bees in or out of the affected area. Inspection records on BeeBase were used to map areas where there have been confirmed cases of EFB from 2021 to 2023.

Utilising the EFB map, a communication strategy was developed to reach as many beekeepers as possible, using a variety of communication channels and approaches. A poster and flyer containing the map with guidance recommending actions beekeepers can take to help minimise spread of the disease appeared in the June edition of the SBA, BFA and BeeCraft magazines. It was also published on BeeBase, SG’s Bee Health pages and posted on ScotGov Rural and SBA social media channels. Thornes, who manufacture and sell beekeeping equipment, also agreed to distribute copies in their parcels to purchasers based in Scotland as well as giving them to customers in their Newburgh shop.

The heat map was the topical focus for the SG stand in the honey tent at the Royal Highland Show in June and was on display at the SBA Convention in September.

Varroa map

The Varroa map which was first produced in 2023, aims to identify areas where particular care is needed to prevent the spread of Varroa to regions that are still free of the pest.

The BHIP continued its outreach in 2024 to raise awareness of the Varroa map and its recommendations. To ensure that the message reached beekeepers, particularly those using ferry services between mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands, the BHIP targeted these transport routes. The objective was to inform passengers of the importance of not moving bees from the mainland to Orkney to avoid introducing Varroa. A significant achievement in this campaign was the collaboration with NorthLink Ferries, who agreed to display the Varroa mapping poster at their ports and on their ships.

The Varroa map will be updated annually or biennially, depending on the level of updates, to take into account new reports of Varroa incidence. Beekeepers are encouraged to report any incidence of Varroa on BeeBase to help ensure that the map is as accurate as possible.

BeeBase

BeeBase is our best tool to monitor and control the spread of honey bee pests and diseases. The site supports Defra, Welsh Government and Scottish Government bee health programmes and provides a wealth of apiculture information. A dedicated Scottish section on BeeBase allows Scottish beekeepers to keep up to date with the latest news and publications.

One of the most important functions of BeeBase is that allows alerts to be issued to beekeepers in the vicinity of an outbreak of notifiable disease and for the Scottish Government Bee Inspectors to prioritise inspections of at-risk apiaries. However, it is only as good as the information it contains. In 2024, the BHIP ran a campaign to promote and encourage beekeepers to register and – just as importantly - keep their records up to date on BeeBase. Cards and posters were developed urging beekeepers to register and update their details on BeeBase, particularly when moving bees to and from the oilseed rape and heather. These were distributed and displayed at the SBA Conference in September and are available for associations to download from BeeBase. In addition, an article was included in the November issue of the SBA magazine as well as publicised on the SBA’s social media platforms. This will be an annual campaign and will be picked up again in the Spring of 2025.

Each winter, the Bee Health Inspectors carry out a vital data cleansing exercise on BeeBase. This involves contacting beekeepers who have not logged in to BeeBase within the past seven years to confirm whether they are still actively keeping bees. If necessary, their records are updated to ensure the database accurately reflects current beekeeping activity. This exercise began in the winter of 2023/24 and will be conducted annually moving forward. Beekeepers who are contacted during this process are encouraged to engage with the bee health inspectors to ensure their records are up to date.

Any beekeepers who need help updating their BeeBase record or have forgotten their username or password, can get in touch with the SG’s Business Support Team by email at Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot All the information entered into BeeBase is confidential and secure, and is only used to help track and inform notifiable disease and pest outbreaks.

Communication reach

In 2024, the Scottish Beekeepers' Association (SBA) played a crucial role in spreading the Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team's campaigns through all their communication channels. This collaboration highlights the strength of the partnership between the SG and the SBA. The tables below demonstrate how effectively the SBA is reaching key audiences with essential honey bee health messages.