Scottish Beekeepers' Association Supporting Scotland's Bees and Beekeepers |
The Strategy was published on the 30th of June, and has been developed in conjunction with the Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP). It has taken into account the review of the previous strategy and the results of the recent Scottish Government honey bee health survey. To download the Strategy please click here or on the image above.
Its main aim is “Working in partnership to achieve a healthy and sustainable population of honey bees in Scotland”.
The strategy details five pillars which will outline the ways of working which we will base our actions over the next 10 years:
1. Education, Training and Knowledge Transfer
2. Communication and partnership working across government, operational partners, stakeholders and all of those with an interest in honey bees in Scotland
3. Pest and Disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and control
4. Research and Development.
5. On-going review of the regulatory framework
The Strategy will be the overarching document which will be accompanied by an Implementation Plan. This will be a ‘living’ document detailing more specifically the actions which the BHIP will deliver in order to achieve the desired outcomes for honey bee health in Scotland. The Plan will be updated regularly following quarterly BHIP meetings and published on the Scottish Government website on our Bee Health pages.
Additional background information and previous publications:
· Scotland’s first 10 year Honey Bee Health Strategy (Published June 2010)
· Review of the first 10 year strategy (Published October 2021)
· Honey Bee Heath Strategy Survey Report 2022 (Published March 2022)
Any additional questions should be directed to the Scottish Government’s Bee Health Team at: Bees_mailbox@gov.scot
The best way to find a local beekeeper is to contact the secretary of your Area Beekeeping Association. You will find a list of secretaries for Area Beekeeping Associations in Scotland on the Affiliated Beekeeping Associations Page. While a local beekeeper will do their best to be helpful, there are situations - particularly when bees are lodged happily in a chimney or wall space - when removing the bee colony successfully can be time-consuming, difficult and success cannot be assured. The removal of a free-hanging swarm in the open is usually much simpler however, and you are more likely to find a local beekeeper who is prepared to come and remove it for you. Do please bear in mind however that beekeepers are not a free pest control service, and in some situations you may still have to call in a pest control company to deal with a well-established colony.
If the bees are already lodged in a chimney, roof or wall space, and have been there for some time (weeks, months or even years), then they are a well established colony, with combs of honey and young bees. If the bees have only appeared within the last few days, or if they are clustered in the open hanging from a branch of a tree or bush, then you have a newly arrived swarm, with bees only, and probably no combs built yet. (see pics above of a swarm clustered.)
In either case, if the bees are causing a danger to you, children or livestock, then call your Local Authority (Council) Pest Control Officer or an independent pest control company. They will probably make a charge for this.
First, check if what you have are bees or wasps. This may sound rather obvious, but it is an easy mistake to make. Wasps and honey bees are about the same size, but wasps have alternating black and bright yellow body stripes. Honey bees are brown, with paler brown or dirty yellow bands on the body. Bumblebees are furry. See the images below or refer to The Wild Bees of Scotland Identification Guide. If you have wasps or bumblebees, then please refer to our main Frequently Asked Questions page.
Syllabus, study notes and more
Do you need a quick answer?
Become a member today
Help Scotland’s bees and beekeepers
Minutes, reports, past exam papers and more