Welsh beekeepers gather to discuss native industry
Native honey bees and their role in honey production has become a hot topic for Welsh beekeepers, with more than 100 gathering in Machynlleth last week for a special conference to highlight the fortunes of local honey bees.
The aim of the free event, which was held at the Centre for Alternative Technology, was to look at benefits of using native and near-native Welsh bees and the impact on honey production.
Hosted by Cywain Bee – an initiative launched two years ago to support Welsh beekeepers and increase honey production and marketing in Wales – the conference attracted beekeepers from across Wales.
The event featured presentations from UK experts in beekeeping, as well as from the Welsh Government and Bangor University, with speakers covering a wide range of topics relating to native bees, from handson advice to news about technical advances.
Among the speakers was Lampeter beekeeper Peter Jenkins, who inherited his hives’ bees from his father Griff, an authority on Welsh bees.
A passionate advocate of native bees, Peter told the conference of his and his father’s experiences of beekeeping – in particular rearing queens – and the benefits of keeping native bees (Apis mellifera mellifera) as opposed to impored Mediterranean strains.
Using native breeds of bee may not result in as much honey being produced in the short term, but their natural compatibility with their surroundings and the fickle Welsh climate makes them a better and more consistent source of honey.
“While native bees may produce less honey under ideal conditions than foreign bees, natives are nearly always able to get some honey and, being frugal, their stockpile lasts longer, which also benefits the beekeeper,” explained Mr Jenkins.
“Is it better to have bees that produce 100lb of honey in good weather, have to be fed 50lb of sugar and still struggle to survive our Welsh winters – or have bees that produce 50lb of honey year in, year out and not have to be fed any sugar?
“I believe that native bees are more successful in the long run because you have more honey for less work, less cost and less input.”
However, keeping Welsh strains of bees pure is increasingly difficult – queen bees mate on the wing and the importation of bees that are not always suited to the climate and conditions has resulted in problems such as aggression and excessive swarming.
Mr Jenkins added: “Apis mellifera mellifera have evolved over millions of years to survive and prosper in our fickle climate. If nature has decreed Welsh bees suitable for our country, then why go against it?
“But to manage bees effectively you have to understand the hive mind. A colony of bees is a superorganism of pre-programmed individuals who act according to instinct. You have to trigger those instincts to get the bees to do what you want. In short, you can’t force bees to do anything, you can only steer them the way you want them to go.”
Queen bee mating can’t be controlled, which results in unwanted crossbreeding with local mongrel drones. This is not good in the long term and often leads to aggressive and non-productive bees.
Mr Jenkins said: “The first generation cross may display hybrid vigour and be productive, but the following generations are often aggressive and are not.”
Bangor University lecturer Dr Paul Cross discussed the development of miniature vibration energy harvesters for battery-less tracking of honey bees.
These tiny devices will enable the long-term evaluation of navigation loss among bees and use vibrations from the insects to create a self-sustained radio-tracking device, which transmit signals to automated drones.
Denbighshire-based Steve Rose highlighted queen rearing in northeast Wales and colony selection. He emphasised desirable colony characteristics including adaptability to the area, gentleness, health, without a tendency to swarm, productivity, economic use of stores, and purity of queens and drones.
Northumberland bee farmer Willie Robson, of Chain Bridge Honey Farm, gave his perspective of using native bees. His family-run business maintains around 1,600 hives, uses traditional beekeeping methods and native black bees to specialise in cutcomb honey production, and exports a range of products worldwide.
Funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government, Cywain Bee is a satellite of Cywain, a project set up by Menter a Busnes to bring added value to primary produce within the agriculture sector.