The Welsh Beekeepers’ Association (WBKA) is the national support organisation for beekeepers in Wales. It is a registered charity (number 509929) managed by a board of trustees supported by various officers, all of whom are volunteers.
Founded in 1943, WBKA is the umbrella organisation for 19 local associations across Wales. Representatives of these 19 associations, and specialist members, form the WBKA Council which meets three times a year.
The WBKA works to support its member associations, specialist and individual members by:
developing co-operation amongst beekeepers and other bodies, including Welsh Government and other national associations and bodies
improving the standard of bee husbandry by supporting the beekeeping education system in the UK.
We hope our website gives you an insight into the ways in which we support the objects of the WBKA as set out in our Constitution – the encouragement, improvement, advancement and promotion of beekeeping to provide a benefit to the public and the environment throughout Wales.
WBKA Webinars
Currently we are are arranging at least one webinar each month. Our webinars are free and open to all.
Join us for a webinar on Thursday 25th April 2024 at 7.30 – 9.00 PM BST .
Emeritus Professor Stephen Martin –
Understanding Varroa Resistance
Through a long career studying social insects, Stephen has specialised in ‘hornet ecology’, ‘pest and diseases of honeybees’ and ‘chemical ecology of ants’. He is best known for his work on the Varroa mite and its association with viruses, especially the Deformed Wing Virus.
In this talk, Stephen will explain how Varroa-resistance honeybees have adapted to Varroa and how beekeepers can use this information to reduce or stop mite treatments. Since the arrival of the Varroa mite from Asia, millions of honeybee colonies have died. For decades, beekeepers have continued to control Varroa populations by the use of chemicals and other invasive methods. However, throughout Africa and most of South and Central America mite-infested colonies survive without any form of mite-control. This has been linked with poor mite reproduction, although until now, what causes this has remained unknown. Throughout, Europe the USA, and Wales an increasing number of naturally evolved, mite-resistant colonies are being discovered and managed. The talk will discuss the resistant mechanism common to honeybee populations in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Africa, USA, Europe and UK, which all appear to have evolved similar ways to combat the Varroa mite. Visit www.varroaresistant.uk for more info.
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News
This presentation is intended for beekeepers at all levels but new beekeepers usually find it particularly useful.
Watch the latest Video from Anaphylaxis UK on Bee and Wasp stings.
New!
Apiary and Brood Inspections
Three videos by Regional Bee Inspector Frank Gellatly, Gwenyn Gruffydd and Black Mountain Honey.
Frank Gellatly, Regional Bee Inspector for Wales has joined with Gwenyn Gruffydd and Black Mountain Honey to produce three useful and interesting YouTube videos. We thank Frank and both of these businesses for granting us permission to share the links to these very informative videos.
(Please note that the WBKA do not endorse any particular products or suppliers mentioned in these videos, or in any of the advertisements which appear via YouTube).
Click on the videos to view.
The Healthy Bees Plan 2030
has recently been published by DEFRA to cover Wales and England for the next 10 years.
The Plan is available below.
The Asian Hornet in the UK
The scientific journal Nature has published a detailed report on the sightings of Asian Hornets in the UK from 2016 to 2019 and the follow-up investigations. You can read it below.
Ulster BKA Webinars
Jan 2022
Members may be interested in the Ulster Beekeepers’ Association flyer of webinars starting in January 2022. Registration details are below.
Scottish BKA Webinars
2021 -2022
Here are some past webinars from the Scottish Beekeepers Association that you might find interesting.
Click on the button below.
QUICK LINKS
