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Welcome to the British Beekeepers' Association

The BBKA is a charity set up in 1874. Today it has more than 13,000 members, an increase of 10 per cent over the last 12 months, and works to support and promote honey bees and beekeeping. Educating the public of the enormous importance of honey bees and pollination to everyone's lives is one of its priorities. Another key role is to represent its members views and concerns about the health of the UK's honey bees. It lobbies government, the European Union and statutory bodies on these issues. Currently it is campaigning to raise the level of Government funding for research into the diseases which threaten to wipe out our honey bees. It is asking the Government to commit £8 million over the next five years to this research programme over which period pollination will have contributed over £800 million (£165 million per annum) into the agricultural economy.

Our current weather patterns mean there is is no fixed date to the start or end to the beekeeper's year, and like all crops, there are regional variations too. Beekeepers usually start opening their hives in March, and the first crop of honey is taken out of the hive in late April/ May. The main crop is taken out of the hive in July or early August. Some beekeepers have a later crop of heather or ivy honey which is taken off in September. Most beekeeping associations hold their end of season honey shows in October and by mid November, usually, the bees are clustering in the hive until spring.

News Home > Statements > BBKA Statement on recent bee losses in Germany

BBKA Statement on recent bee losses in Germany

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By British Beekeepers' Association (BBKA)

Published May 30, 2008

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Bee Losses:
Members of the BBKA Executive note with concern the recent devastating bee losses in Germany and elsewhere, which appear to be linked with pesticide use. Initial enquiries indicate that the principal problem seems to relate to the application of pesticides to seeds as a dressing. The substances were apparently applied at an unusually high dosage (to protect against Diabrotica - the corn root worm) and were inadequately ‘fixed’ to the seed, resulting in release into the environment during drilling, possibly blowing on to other crops, so contacting with bees. The German authorities have suspended the approvals for eight seed treatment products pending further investigations. The UK authorities are aware of this development and the following statement has been placed on the CSL web-site:

May 2008 - Seed Treatments and Bees
In respect of the current concerns about the threat of seed treatments for maize to bees, the Pesticides Safety Directorate has advised as follows: We are aware of the concerns in some other Member States about the use of certain seed treatments containing clothianidin and imidacloprid. However, we are not aware of any problem in the UK related to any seed treatments and bees. There have not been any incidents reported to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS.) to date which could be connected to the use of seed treatments. Given the vigilance of beekeepers it is highly unlikely that had there been any incidents they would have gone unnoticed.
Of the three active substances which are mentioned only imidacloprid is approved for treatment of oilseed rape seed and clothianidin for maize seed. This is the first year in which treatment of maize seed with clothianidin has been approved in the UK. We note that in the incidents in Germany the treatment was being used at a very high rate, 125 g a.s./ha in an attempt to control Diabrotica. In the UK it is approved at a maximum rate of 60 g a.s./ha on maize.
We will, of course, keep a close watch on the situation but currently have no concerns that use of these products according to the conditions of approval will cause a risk to bees in the UK.

The BBKA will continue to monitor developments in this area and will advise its Associations and members as more information becomes available.

This is a statement from the BBKA on bee losses in Germany. I hope that you will find this helpful and reassuring to members. Martin Tovey General Secretary.

END

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