Local groups

The purpose of the B4 Project is to conserve, protect and increase the population of Apis mellifera mellifera, the European Dark Honey Bee (EDHB), by the fusion of science and beekeeping. This will be achieved by: Setting up reserves with like-minded beekeepers. Working closely with scientists to identify genetic purity of samples taken geographically. Informing the public about the EDHB. Influencing decision makers.

We raise queens from locally adapted colonies, selected for desirable traits including varroa resistance, where this can be identified. Bedfordshire BKA has encouraged the development of a queen rearing group to serve its members. Our first aim is to provide a supply of locally adapted queens to Bedfordshire BKA members, ideally to apiaries within 30 miles of one of our four breeding apiaries. This operation will commence in 2026. Thereafter we would like to encourage more of our members to raise their own queens; and, concurrently, make progressive improvements to our own breeding stock . Contact: Stephen Edwards

Beekeepers with a common goal to promote the cultivation of the best strain of bees for our locality.

A conservation project working with Free Living and managed surviving non treatment colonies to protect a wild population and produce a better local Honey Bee in Northamptonshire.

contact Alexandra Miller

Formed in 2016 by a group of Cheshire-based BIBBA members to help form local queen rearing groups to aid the improvement of local bees and support the objectives of BIBBA

A support group for members of Dover & District BKA wishing to raise their own queens

The aim of the BIBBA East Midlands Bee Improvement Group is to breed near native Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm) queens of the best local genetic stock.

This is a new group in its infancy, to safeguard our local honeybees. For locally reared strong healthy honey bees in the Test Valley and the County of Hampshire suited to our environmental conditions.

A small group in Pembrokeshire working for the breeding and conservation of a local strain of black bee

We are a community group focused on the re-introduction of the black bee….

Breeding Group of one base near Lampeter

Queen rearing group based in Killin and around Loch Tay, focused on propagating the best of our locally adapted dark bees from the area. Our focus is on healthy, vigorous and varroa resistant bees that overwinter under the coldest and wettest conditions here in Scotland and build up quickly in springtime. We produce locally adapted, healthy and varroa resistant nucleus colonies and queens for the local bee keepers and beginners. We try to avoid that beginners in bee keeping have to import exotic bees (and possibly bring new diseases with them) into our area.   Contact: Roman Inauen

England’s first Black Bee Reserve was opened in 2017 at Mount Edgcumbe on the Rame Peninsula. The group focuses on education, conservation of Amm and ways to improve local stock.

NF&DBKA are committed to the education of bee keepers at all levels.

North Devon Group operating from an apiary on the outskirts of Barnstaple as part of the North Devon Beekeepers Association

  A group formed to encourage and support local beekeepers keep locally-adapted bees with locally raised, open-mated queens of local heritage.

Sheffield-based group of beekeepers seeking to identify varroa resistance in our local bee population and to promote the distribution of these resistance traits to our local beekeeping community. We are a group of Sheffield beekeepers seeking to identify, propagate and distribute queens derived from locally adapted colonies displaying varroa resistant traits. Using mite drop monitoring, hygienic behaviour identification and UBeeO assays we have identified local colonies with VR traits. We now seek to raise queens from these VR colonies for distribution within the local beekeeping community. Our long term aim is to build a self sustaining critical mass of locally…

We aim to breed and encourage the keeping of native and near-native bees in SDBIG Area: Devon, south of Exeter and including the eastern side of Dartmoor and Plymouth

to improve the Amm characteristics of the local honeybee population in the District

Situated on the “Isle of Thanet” in Association with Thanet Beekeepers Association.

A Hampshire based group dedicated to the conservation and reintroduction of the native black bee.

This group covers a substantial area stretching from the Dee valley (Glyn Dyfrdwy) between Corwen and Bala and Westwards to Cwm Main on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park. The aim of the group is to achieve a high percentage of quality native or near-native drones in the district so that everyone in the area can let their virgins mate freely,

MIdlothian group helping local beekeepers and novices start beekeeping and bee improvement.

The Westerham bee breeding project is focused on raising varroa resistant, locally-adapted colonies and queens for club members initially. We are also selecting for native/near-native Apis mellifera mellifera genetics over time. We believe that building a stock of these colonies will create a local population of healthy bees, adapted to the local environment, pests and diseases. We think that Queen and drone proliferation over time will improve the entire local bee stock, driving the sustainability of beekeeping in the area. Contact: Steve McGrath

Wisborough Green BKA teaches beekeepers in West Sussex. Near native bees and queens are produced in our extensive teaching apiary as part of the tuition.