Becoming a Beekeeper

If you are interested in taking up the fascinating hobby of beekeeping you will no doubt have lots of questions and here we aim to provide some of the answers to help you find out exactly what might be involved. Where do I start? Contact your local BBKA Association for advice, tuition and support and consider becoming a member.  Most associations run ‘Taster Days’ which are ideal for obtaining a basic understanding of bees and what is involved in beekeeping.  This can be followed by an ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ course where you can learn some of the theory required to be a good beekeeper and gain valuable practical experience before you make any investment in equipment and honeybees.  Your local association will also be able to assign you a mentor who will be able to help as you start to keep bees for yourself. There are over 270 area associations and branches who serve their local area with support and education.  To find your ne...

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Find a local Swarm Collector

Enter your postcode below and then click on the red markers which appear nearest the 'bee' for details of your local swarm collector. If you can't find a swarm collector local to you on this map please get in touch with your local beekeeping association. Please note that swarm collectors from south of the Thames cannot assist with swarms across the water in Essex. Our volunteer beekeepers can only assist in cases of swarms of honey bees. To support the work of the BBKA please DONATE HERE

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June In the Apiary

If you made some nuclei, do keep an eye on them. Small colonies can quickly run out of space, in which case remove a full frame and replace it with one of foundation. Also, if there is no forage or bad weather, they can starve. Beekeeping books often tell of ‘the June gap’. This is the period when the spring flowers are over, and the summer ones have not started flowering en-masse. For the last two years, we have not had that gap here in the east. As soon as the oilseed rape (OSR) supers were extracted and returned for the bees to clean out, they began re-filling. I think the crop was from hawthorn, and not long after that, the brambles began. Sweet chestnut can also be a good crop. We have none close by, so in past years we have moved colonies to them. When preparing honey for sale, a 30lb bucket of OSR with a 10lb bucket of a mix of sweet chestnut and bramble makes an excellent honey. Vintners and tea tasters mix for a better taste and so do I. I must admit though, I a...

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BBKA QR Codes

QR code documents for use by branches and associations: Allotment Beekeeping Becoming a Beekeeper Bee Friendly Plants Bees in Schools Bees in Buildings Find Beekeeping Near You Honey Authenticity Neonicotinoids Swarm Removal What Bee is This

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