WBKA

Asian Hornet webinar Thursday 9th October, 7.30pm with Andrew Durham

apiarymanager Bee Health, Hornets, WBKA

Please see the details below of our next webinar on Thursday 9th October, 7.30pm with Andrew Durham. As usual this webinar is open to every one and free to attend. As the Asian Hornet gets ever closer to us, this webinar is well worth listening to.

The Asian Hornet with Andrew Durham
Thursday October 9, 2025 7:30 PM 
 

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As the hornet continues to make ground on the continent and is threatening to get established in mainland UK, this is an important and timely contribution to a debate that beekeepers are going to have to have before the NBU withdraws from the front-line battle to eradicate the hornet.
Calling on the evidence that he presented in his recent book, Andrew Durham puts forward the argument that nest destruction schemes have proved to be “a dangerous delusion”, promoted by scientists but ultimately failing to make any impact on the hornet’s expansion and, more often than not, coming too late to protect biodiversity or to help beekeepers in the apiary.
He presents the argument that the spring trapping of foundress queens, something previously discouraged by scientists, offers much more potential to protect our biodiversity and is more effective at reducing predation levels in the apiary.
Andrew outlines what the beekeeper needs to do to best protect their bees and looks at defence against the hornet in and around the apiary.

Andrew Durham is a Cambridgeshire beekeeper who started his research into the Asian Hornet (a.k.a. Yellow-legged Hornet – Vespa velutina) in 2014, travelling around France and researching the impact of the hornet on French beekeeping. He has written regularly for the BBKA News and given talks in BBKA Asian Hornet Weeks/Conferences. His book “Asian Hornet – The Beekeeper’s Guide to Defences against the Yellow Legged Hornet Vespa Velutina” was published by Northern Bee Books in April 2025 and is widely available on a number of bookselling websites including Amazon.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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Microscopy Course

apiarymanager Training, WBKA

Dear Beekeeper

Microscopy Course – An introduction to honey bee anatomy and dissection.

Venue: Plas Dolerw, Newtown

Date: 30 August 2025, 10 – 4

Cost £33

Tea and coffee provided but you are required to bring your own lunch

Registration link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/microscopy-for-beekeepers-honey-bee-anatomy-and-dissection-tickets-1507854656869?aff=oddtdtcreator

We have a spare place on this course which is available to members. No previous experience of microscopy is required as full training will be given. However, you will need to bring a low powered, dissecting microscope with you. If you are unsure if you have the correct equipment please contact Lynfa Davies on lynfa.davies@btinternet.com to discuss. There is no spare equipment available so it is essential that you check if you have the correct equipment.

Thanks

Lynfa

Highly Recommended Webinar! Tropilaelaps with Maggie Gill on July 3rd, 2025 at 7:30 PM

apiarymanager Bee Health, Training, WBKA

Tropilaelaps with Maggie Gill. Join us for a webinar on Jul 03, 2025 at 7:30 PM BST.

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Like Varroa, Tropilaelaps are brood parasites that feed and reproduce on honey bees. Originating in Asia, they have jumped species from their native hosts the giant Asian honey bees to our western honey bees. In much the same way as Varroa did in the 1980s are spreading westwards and were confirmed for the first time in Europe in 2024. Unfortunately, Tropilaelaps poses a much greater threat than Varroa, causing colony losses of between 50 to 80% in areas where they have recently been detected for the first time. Their faster rate of reproduction, shorter phoretic phase and apparent ability to survive on alternative hosts make them more difficult to control and treat.
Find out more about the biology, behaviour, and distribution of this exotic pest and the threat it poses to UK beekeeping.

Maggie Gill has been a beekeeper for 20 years, producing queens and nucs on a small scale and also working in honey bee research. Her research has seen her work with universities and beekeepers in Thailand, Lao, Canada, Chile, Sweden, Iran, USA and most recently Georgia to study honey bee pests and diseases. Currently a senior entomologist at Defra, Maggie worked as a seasonal and regional bee inspector for Wales for 10 years.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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Webinar – Bee Problems to be Aware of with Keith Bartlem – Thu, Jun 5, 2025 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

apiarymanager Education & Training, Events, Starting Beekeeping, Stories of Interest, Training, WBKA
Bee Problems to be Aware of with Keith Bartlem

Join us for a webinar on Jun 05, 2025 at 7:30 PM BST.

Register now!

This is a talk about common bee diseases, virus’s, and conditions which can effect any honeybee colony. A disease talk can be a bit depressing. So, there are anecdotes about my time as a bee inspector as well as my time of beekeeping in North Wales.

Keith is a former Seasonal Bee Inspector for the North East of England. Keith lives in North Yorkshire, just outside of Bedale. He is a Master Beekeeper, BBKA examiner, BBKA exam board member, and an active member of the Richmond and District Beekeeping Association. Currently, he manages twenty colonies, mostly using 14 x 12 hives.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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Webinar – Swarming and Making Increase with Alan Baxter – Thu, May 8, 2025 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

apiarymanager Education & Training, Events, Stories of Interest, Swarms and Swarming, Training, WBKA
Swarming and Making Increase with Alan Baxter. Join us for a webinar on May 08, 2025 at 7:30 PM

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Alan’s talk begins by outlining the reasons why bees swarm, a little of the biology that explains why and how swarming occurs, then the swarming process itself including the communications that the bees use when choosing their new home.

In the second part of the talk Alan walks us through the ‘countdown’ to swarming, the signs to look out for, and the moment in the process when swarm prevention (or Pre-emptive control) becomes swarm control (or Re-active swarm control).

Finally, we will look at the practical steps a beekeeper can take to prevent a swarm occurring, then move on to methods of simple swarm control involving making increase, why we talk about artificial swarms, and simple methods of control for beekeepers who don’t want more colonies.

Alan Baxter is a Royal Marines Veteran who began his beekeeping adventure in the Loire Valley in France, where he attended University then worked in adult education and training for 23 years. His apiary there was the target of heavy predation by Asian Hornets and he developed apiary management techniques to help his bees survive the onslaught.

He moved to England in 2020 and manages 20 colonies of gentle bees in 3 apiaries in Hampshire. He has founded and runs a Teaching Apiary with courses, exam preparation and coaching sessions for his local beekeeping association. He has completed all the BBKA Modules and holds the General Beekeeping Husbandry Certificate. He continues studying to be a BBKA Master Beekeeper and is halfway through the Cornell University Master Beekeeper Program.

Alan writes regular blogs and articles and gives talks and seminars around the country on Beekeeping, the Asian Hornet, the Wines of the Loire Valley, and the 1982 Falklands War.

He is the author of the Hampshire Asian Hornet Contingency Plan and a book Fit2Fight- A Practical Guide to Managing the Asian Hornet published by Northern Bee Books Ltd.

https://www.alanbaxtersblogs.co.uk

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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