BIBBA Monthly News

BIBBA Monthly is produced by BIBBA and is provided to members free of charge.
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May 2026 BIBBA Monthly

Resilience in the Face of Winter Losses
Bee Rescues – getting people out of a ‘sticky’ situation
Varroa resistance - It Comes From the Queen

April 2026 BIBBA Monthly

Resilience and Winter Losses
An Old Technique to Increase Honey Yield
Rethinking “Emergency” Queen Cells
Cascading the CaSCA Message
What Your Honey Can Tell Us About Bee Health

March 2026 BIBBA Monthly

Enhanced Direct Debit Discount
How to Mark a Queen Bee for Better Visibility
Emergency Cells- a Simple Experiment
Live@theHive in March
BIBBA Groups Update
Wild honey bees on English landed estates

October 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistant Colonies - October Update
Red Listed - Wild Western Honey Bees Now Classified as Endangered
Join us at the National Honey Show
Optimising a Honey Bee Brood Box before Winter

September 2025 BIBBA Monthly

VR behaviour after the main flow
Autumn Queen Bee Introduction
CaSCA Winter Course 25/26
Teaching Toolkit Update

August 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistant Colonies
The Wasps are Winning
EBA Update
BIBBA Videos

June 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistant Colonies - June Update
Standing together for the Native Honey Bee
What's in a name? The Case for the Dark European Honey Bee
Live@TheHive - catch the latest episode
CaSCA - What is it and how can you get involved?
Volunteers Wanted for Video Editing

May 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistant Colonies - May Update
We hear from the EBA and SICAMM on World Bee Day
Bees for Sale? Looking to Buy?
BIBBA Welcomes another Trustee
Watch the latest Live@TheHive
Call for Volunteers - Can you edit Videos

April 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistant Colonies - April Update
Early Swarms This Year
Another Successful BBKA Spring Convention
A Taste Of Honey - Sensory Analysis applied to Honey
Watch the latest Live@TheHive

March 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistant Colonies - What's Happening in the Hives Now
Spring Awakening: Preparing your hives for the Season
Is Victory over Varroa on the Horizon?
Discover the Science Behind Beekeeping with Norman Carreck
The First Forage: What’s Blooming for Your Bees in March?
Join us for BIBBA's 2025 Annual General Meeting

February 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Varroa Resistance Update
BIBBA Spring Courses - There's still time to Sign up!
Varroa Resistance through Bee Improvement
Upcoming Webinars
A Queen's Reflections
Call for Articles - Have you got a story to share.

©MAGGIE GILL

January 2025 BIBBA Monthly

Extract: Black Bees - In Willie Robson's Words
BIBBA Winter Courses - There's still time to Sign up!
Book Review: Using Apideas by Daniel Basterfield
Upcoming Webinars.
Check out these latest 'National Honey Show' videos
Beware of Tropilaelaps

December 2024 BIBBA Monthly

BIBBA Winter Courses - Sign up now!
Meet the new trustee
Request for Report Card examples.
Don't miss our Jan Webinar - BIBBA visits Mike Palmer
Book Review - The Observant Beekeeper: A Practical Manual
EU Tightens Honey Import Regulations to Improve Quality
EBA - Read the sixth issue here.

©Simon Kellam

November 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Winter Courses - Sign up Now!
Crossbreeding Threatens the Unique Irish Honeybee Population: Insights from a Comprehensive Study
Readers Letters - Wax Moths, Friend or Foe?
Drifting - a Readers Article by Dennis Brown
Call for Articles - Have you got a story to share.

October 2024 BIBBA Monthly

The European Beekeeping Association (EBA)
Is Brood Pattern a Reliable Indicator of Queen Quality?
Winter Courses - Sign up Now!
BBJ Article - Coping with the Mite 1988
Readers Letters - Beekeeping Techniques in Canada
The Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee
Call for Articles - Have you got a story to share.

September 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Winter Courses: Sustainable Bees & Queens
Blenheim Palace Forest Bees
Roger Patterson Readers Response
BBJ Extracts 1991

July 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Notes From Other Days
Third Age of Beekeeping Course
NatBip, Sustainability and the Future of BIBBA

June 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Live@theHive Returns
How Many Drones Are Good Enough? Dorian Pritchard
Book Review - Local Queens are Best
Swarm Control using 2 frame nuc - Roger Patterson
Bees for Pleasure and Profit - Excerpt

May 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Queen Cell Punches - member offer
The "New" SICAMM
A World Famous Frame
Drone Congregations

April 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Member Only Recordings on YouTube
Varroa Resistant Bees & Treatment-free Beekeeping
Beowulf my Mentor - Part 3
The Beekeeping Show - Telford
A Year of Garden Bees & Bugs - 25% off

March 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Bees for Sale?
CaSCA - feedback from Initial Meetings
Webinars

Karl Colyer: Increasing your chances of getting through the first five years of beekeeping
Markku Pöyhönen: President of the Finnish Black Bee Association

Queen Cell production in a Single Brood Chamber Colony

February 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Another New Trustee: Martina Hendry
Webinars

the costs of artificial selection
getting through the first five years

Beowulf-part 2
Beekeeping on the Edge of Snowdonia
David Allen-an appreciation

January 2024 BIBBA Monthly

Introducing one of our new trustees: Emma Buckley
The Dark Native Honey Bee - an interesting extract from BBJ 1991
- and a free download for members of Ruttner & Milner's book
Beowulf Cooper - My Mentor and Friend with fascinating photos
- David Buckley, apprentice to Beowulf, shares his impression of the man.

November 2023 BIBBA Monthly

Michael Badger “The Realities of Bee-Breeding.
The centenary anniversary of the National Honey Show.
Two of our newest trustees share their beekeeping journey.

🌟 Buckley's Bees takes you behind the scenes of this year's BIBBA Conference.
🌟 Roger Paterson provides valuable updates on the new initiative for our Commercial and Semi-Commercial members.
🌟 Brian Holdcroft shares insights on how to kickstart your Bee Improvement Group.

May 2023 BIBBA Monthly

BIBBA CIO Progress
Trustee Changes
Conference 2023
Commercial & Semi-Commercial
One Day Queen Rearing Courses

December 2022 BIBBA Monthly

Our new membership system
Mitochondrial DNA
Sandringham Project update

November 2022 BIBBA Monthly

Winter webinars

Colm ONeal
Helen Mooney

Normandy Black bee
Qualities in our bees
Conservation in Germany

September 2022 BIBBA Monthly

A 'Yorkshire' Wax Melter-Richard Senior
Game of Drones-the Scilly Isles
Questions for Willie Robson
NatBIP Update-Jo Widdicombe

August 2022 BIBBA Monthly

Treatment Free Beekeeping - Terry Hitchman
Something Strange- Roger Patterson
Sandringham Flower Show
Report on Bee Improvement and QR courses

June 2022 BIBBA Monthly

A Simple Method of Simultaneously Raising Queens and Producing Nuclei - Eoghan Mac Giolla Coda
Undermining Local Bee Populations - What Do We Do?
Developing Sustainability in Beekeeping
Converting BIBBA to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) - Update

May 2022 BIBBA Monthly

World Bee Day - 20th May
Bee Improvement Courses
Apiary Vicinity Mating - Fact or Fiction?

March 2022 BIBBA Monthly

Webinars
Beowulf: my friend and mentor
Supporting Semi-Commercial
Small Entrance Closures
YouTube - "The Sustainable Apiary"

BIBBA Monthly February 2022

Webinars
BIBBA secretary
Research: early spring
Rick Stein in Cornwall
YouTube video recommendation -varroa feed on fat bodies

BIBBA Monthly January 2022

Jo Widdicombe-BBKA trustee
Let's Go Beekeeping
Why do bees rear so many drones?
Lune Valley webinar

BIBBA Monthly – December 2021

Important changes to the membership system
January webinars:

Small scale queen rearing
Wax production and replacing old comb

BIBBA Monthly – November 2021

What is BIBBA for?
Will the Irish Republic Ban Honey Bee Imports?
BIBBA & the Welsh BKA
book: The Native Irish Honey Bee
Sandringham Native Bee Project
National Honey Show 2021 review

BIBBA Monthly – October 2021

Sustainable bees - sustainable beekeeping
Silent Earth - averting the insect apocalype
SICAMM online conference 2021
Lune Valley Breeding Apiary

BIBBA Monthly – Sept 2021

Roger Patterson:

A review of BIBBA over the past year
Call for someone with insurance expertise
Planned publications
The Teaching Apiary
Peter Jenkins Thoughts on Beehives

BIBBA Monthly – July 2021

This month, Jo Widdicombe discusses how to achieve SICAMM’s (and BIBBA’s) aim of promoting the conservation of Amm.

BIBBA Monthly – June 2021

The Scillonian Honey Bee Project
Nosema ceranae and Fipronil
Colony Increase-a new book

BIBBA Monthly – May 2021

Live @ the Hive
Honey Bee Watch
Handling Frame Lugs

BIBBA Monthly – April 2021

At the recent BIBBA AGM
BIBBA gets a makeover
How training and information sources for beekeepers and beefarmers can be improved
From the President
East Midlands 1998
Extra webinars for Season Four – Spring 2021
Will you have Queens or Nucs for Sale?

BIBBA Monthly – March 2021

BIBBA's Progress
AGM Registration
Trustees' Report and Accounts
Eddie O'Sullivan - an appreciation

BIBBA Monthly – February 2021

Statement on Imports
Social Distancing for Honey Bees by Selwyn Runnett
Notice of AGM
Increasing the number of trustees

Overwintering nucs. The bees are very quiet inside. The upper box is full of stores.

BIBBA Monthly – January 2021

Beowulf Cooper book
New Year Message from the President
Record Cards – options on what criteria and how to score them
The NatBIP Guide and the Record Card

BIBBA Monthly – December 2020

webinars for spring
Is this colony queenless? By Roger Patterson

BIBBA Monthly – November 2020

New webinars
Need Early Queens? Produce Your Own by Roger Patterson
Opportunity for DNA testing of your bees

BIBBA Monthly October 2020

NatBIP webinars
Queens: Collaboration and how to make it easy on yourself and your bees
Queens – an example of collaboration between beekeepers
Bee business for sale
Future webinars

Mated and virgin queens through the post

BIBBA Monthly – September 2020

National Bee Improvement Programme
Webinars - Season Three
Cupkits, Fakes and Annoyance
Conserving Black Bees

BIBBA Monthly – August 2020

Webinars – Season Two
Varroa – is the end nigh?
NatBIP – selecting within a strain
End Of Season Use For Your Mininuc Bees and Frames

BIBBA Monthly – July 2020

view the latest on NatBIP
how to select your breeder queens
download Beo Cooper's book
updates on the webinars
learn about drones from "queen" cells
Joseph Tinsley - ahead of his time

From the President – Jo Widdicombe
We're making a stand-Dorian Pritchard
Varroa- we can't go on treating forever - Guy Thompson
Bee Improvement Strategies part 1 - Kevin Thorn
Lester Wickham - Obituary

Queen Rearing - my preferred method by Jo Widdicombe
Setting Up a Breeding Conservation Group

BIM header

Editor: Philip Denwood Design and Artwork: Roger Cullum-Kenyon

BIM 52 – Spring 2019

- From the President – Jo Widdicombe
- Queen rearing at Exeter – Catherine Mudge
- One size fits all – Baruch Livneh
- Battling the Bandits – Dorian Pritchard
- Adventures in Beekeeping – Brian Ripley
- BIBBA Conference 2018 – Roger Patterson
- SICAMM Conference 2018 – Jo Widdicombe
- Aimo Nurminen – Lassi Kauko

BIM 51 – Summer 2018

From the President – Jo Widdicombe
Albert Knight – J. Phipps, D. Allen and A. Stokes
BIBBA Conference – Roger Patterson
Shakespeare’s Bees – Gaynor Smith
Just look what happens if . . . – Dorian Pritchard
In Memory of Abess – Dawn Boswell-Challand
Sustainable Beekeeping – David Ledger
Two days at Cilgwri – David Spalding
Stratford-upon-Avon BIG – Terry Hitchman
West Suffolk BIG course – Kevin Thorn
Book Reviews – Philip Denwood
The Honey Badger’s Story – Mike Taylor

BIM 50 – Winter 2017

B4 Press Release
Mount Edgcumbe – Mark Edwards
BIBBA Conference – Roger Patterson
More Queen Rearing Myths – Roger Patterson
Winter Losses – Beowulf Cooper
SICAMM Conference – Philip Denwood
Locally Adapted Bees – Dorian Pritchard
Queen Assessment – Dorian Pritchard
How not to Rear Queens – Kevin Thorn
Beekeeping on Scilly – Jo Widdicombe

BIM 49 – Spring 2017

From the President – Jo Widdicombe
Trials and Tribulations – Frank Hilton
Are you a Natural Beekeeper? – Brian Dennis
Natural Beekeeping – Philip Denwood
Racial Profiling of Mongrels – Paul Honigmann
Bee Improvement and QR – R Patterson
History of Manx beekeeping – Cilla Platt
Making Increase – Brian Dennis
Locally Adapted Bees – Wally Shaw
Bee Races in Switzerland – Balser & Padruot Fried
B4 Press Release – Plymouth University
SICAMM Conference – Eoghan Mac Giolla Coda
Intelligence v. Chemical Responses – Brian Dennis
This is a non-smoking area – Brian Dennis

BIM 48 – Winter 2016/17

Miniature tracking device – Paul Cross
BIBBA Conference – Viki Cuthbertson
Bee house on the Isle-of-Man – Roger Patterson
BIBBA Conference; some thoughts – R Patterson
Varroa resistance – Gareth John
Dark bees in Cornwall – Bob Black
Ardnamurchan native bees – Kate Atchley .
Queen raising criteria in N.E. European Russia – Anna Brandorf & Marija Ivoilova
Bee Improvement – Roger Patterson

BIM 47 – Autumn 2016

Queen raising – Alan Brown
Burzyan wild-hive honeybees – R. A. Ilyasov,
M. N. Kosarov. A. Neal, F. G. Yumaguzhin
Queen rearing on the Isle of Man – John Evans
The SMARTBEES project – Jo Widdicombe
Conferences and Workshops – Roger Patterson
Working for a better bee – Mark Edwards
Polynucs – Peter Edwards
QR at Keepers Cottage – Peter Edwards
Black bees in Wales – Eifion Williams

BIM 46 – Winter 2015

The Honey Bee family – Brian Dennis
A word from Brother Adam – Brian Dennis
QR – some experiences – Roger Patterson
BIBBA Conference – Roy Norris
The BIfA workshop – Katey Slater
Grafting – Roger Patterson
Assessment of the black bee – Willie Robson
News from SICAMM – Philip Denwood
Dark Bee Seminar – Philip Denwood
The BIBBA Course – Mike du Feu
Dark Bee breeding project – Margie Ramsay
From the Archives – R Smailes
IBRA Press Release – Norman Carreck

BIM 45 – Spring 2015

Looking for the best bees – M. Meixner & R Büchler
Introduction of exotic bees – Brian Dennis
Echoes from the past
2014 Conference – Margaret Murdin
BIBBA/SICAMM Conference – Roger Patterson
BIBBA/SICAMM Conference – Dorian Pritchard
SHB press release – COLOSS

BIM 44 – Summer 2014

From the Chair - Kevin Lincoln
BIFA Days - Roger Patterson
Letters to the Editor - Mark McVey
IBRA Press Release - Norman Carreck
A BIPCo visit - Jo Widdicombe
Pesticide Debate - Norman Benson
Queen raising for the Amateur - Alan Brown
In Memory of Janet Hinchley - David Allen
Sampling and Predicting - Brian Dennis
Bee v Pigeon - Jeremy Clay
Genuine Imported Queens - Will Messenger
Conference Venue

BIM 43 – Spring 2014

BIFA Days – Roger Patterson
Moonlight Mating – Philip Denwood
Pure Mating by Time Isolation – John E Dews
Ownership of a Swarm – Brian Dennis
Annual General Meeting Agenda – Secretary
Annual Accounts – Treasurer
Trustees Report – Chairman
Draft Minutes – Secretary
BIFA meeting in Sussex – James Norfolk
Book Review – Philip Denwood
Patron Saints – Brian Dennis
Conference Speakers List – Roger Patterson

BIM 42 – Winter 2013

Dark Bee Reserve – Philip Denwood
BIBBA Groups News – Jo Widdicombe
Whither goest thou? – Brian Dennis
Are you a Natural Beekeeper? – Brian Dennis
A Broader Perspective – Dorian Pritchard
Honey with a Buzz – Trisha Marlow
Book Review – Philip Denwood
Some thoughts on Grafting – Roger Patterson
Honey Bee Improvement – John E Dews
Bee Improvement for all Days – Roger Patterson
Genuine Imported Queens (3) – Will Messenger

BIM 41 – Spring 2013

News from North Wales – Steve Rose
AGM Proposal 2012 – Will Messenger
The Native Bee – Dorian Pritchard
Wing Morphometry Service – Will Messenger
Trustees Report – Will Messenger
Report and Accounts – Iain Harley
Project Discovery Phase 2 – Will Messenger
NIHBS – Aoife McGillycuddy
Morphometry Measurements – Jacob Kahn PhD
Genuine Imported Queens Part 2 – Will Messenger

BIM 40 – Winter 2012

From the treasurer – Iain Harley
Beekeeping in Switzerland – Roger Patterson
Help West Highland bees – Kate Atchley
Workshops – Terry Clare
Towards 50 years – Will Messenger
Project Discovery update – Terry Clare
Ludlow & District group – Mike Saunders
Coorecorder v DrawWing – Conan McDonnell
Morphometry in practice – Terry Clare
Imported Queens part 1 – Will Messenger

BIM 39 – Autumn 2012

From the Chair – Will Messenger
SBA Centenary Conference – Will Messenger
CoLoss Action Group – Will Messenger
Providing Breeding Material – Albert Knight
Meet the Members – Eddie O’Sullivan
Queen Rearing workshop – Mike Thornley
Scottish Bee Breeding – Mike Thornley
Experiments with Morphometry – Iain Harley
SICAMM Conference – Steve Rose

BIM 38 – Spring 2012

Project Discovery – Terry Clare
North Pennine Bee Group – Pritchard & Miller
The Black Bees of Tasmania – Andrew Abrahams
Stratford-upon-Avon BIG – Peter Edwards
Native Dark Bee Breeding – Margie Ramsey
News from the Groups – Jo Widdicombe
News from BIPCo – Jo Widdicombe
Queen Rearing Workshop – Mike Saunders
Scottish Centenary Conference
Sedbergh Breeding Group – Andrew Royce
North Wales Queen Rearing – Steve Rose
BIBBA Scottish Conference

BIM 37 – Spring 2012

What’s in a Name – Will Messenger
A Proposal – Jo Widdicombe
The BIBBA Constitution
Genetic Influence – David Campbell
Project Discovery – Terry Clare
A Bright Future – Dorian Pritchard
Dave Cushman’s Website – Roger Patterson
Wing Morphometry – Peter Edwards
Galtee Bee Breeding Group – Mary Ryan
John Dews Update – Tony Jefferson

BIM 36 – Summer 2011

Update on Morphometry – Peter Edwards
Beekeeping in Orkney – Jannine Hazelhurst
The way forward – Will Messenger
Inbreeding part 2 – Dorian Pritchard
Simple Queen Rearing – Dinah Sweet
The Native Bee – Pam Hunter
Dave Cushman – Roger Patterson
John Dews Obituary – various
Book Review – Philip Denwood
BIBBA Trustees

BIM 35 – Winter 2010-11

Queen breeding – Bill Cadmore
Genetic findings – Jacob Kahn
Bee improvement in IoM – Roger Patterson
BIBBA Conference – Dinah Sweet
Local Queen program – Roger Patterson
Inbreeding part 1 – Dorian Pritchard
Thoughts on Morphology – Roger Patterson
Queen rearing for one – Albert Knight
Conference law – Dorian Pritchard
Trustees Report 2010 – Dinah Sweet
Financial Statements - 2010

BIM 34 – Spring 2010

BIBBA Handbook – David Allen
Beekeeping notes – Willie Robson
Small scale queen rearing – John Dews
Expansion & queen rearing – Chris Broad
Queen rearing on a small scale – Tom Robinson
JZBZ frame bar – Roger Patterson
Inbreeding – Tom Robinson
Pesticides and colony losses – Eric Mussen
Isle of Man workshop – Doris Fischler
A note on MorphPlot – Peter Edwards
Galtee Group AGM – Mary Ryan
Helen Sanders – David Allen
BIBBA Conference

BIM 33 – Winter 2010

Cornbrook revisited – Sandra Unwin
Local Queen Programme – Roger Patterson
Assessment of colonies – Jo Widdicombe
The BIBBA record card – Philip Denwood
Groups – Terry Clare
A model agreement – Terry Clare
Queen rearing group – Roger Patterson
Warnholz Mini BiVo nuc – Dave Cushman
The Harding Mini Nuc – John Harding
Bee improvement – Roger Patterson
Entombment follow-up – Dave Cushman
BBKA Forum - Roger Patterson
Morphometry Course - Dinah Sweet

BIM 32 – Autumn 2009

The Harding Hive Debris Floor - John Harding
Three fertile queens in one colony - Roger Patterson
Variation in susceptibility to bee diseases among European races of honey bees - Dinah Sweet
Isle of Wight disease in Warwickshire - Brian Milward
Griff Jenkins - obituary by Albert Knight
Queens entombed in wax - Norman Walsh
Reply to Robin Dean’s article on the Black Bee - Jo Widdicombe
Galtee Bee Breeders’ Group Workshop Day - Mary Ryan
GBBG News - Mary Ryan
SICAMM Conference, Aviemore - Philip Denwood
Chairman’s Report - Dinah Sweet
Local Queen Programme - Roger Patterson

BIM 31 – Spring 2009

The Harding queen raising system. John Harding
A tribute to Gordon Hartshorn. Tom Rowlands
Beekeeping in Northumberland. Dorian Pritchard
Three fertile queens in one colony. Roger Patterson
Brother Adam and the dark bee. Dorian Pritchard
Breeding Group news. Jo Widdicombe
The Bee Improvement Programme for Cornwall. Jo Widdicombe
Survey of native bees. Roger Patterson
Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects. Terry Clare
Gormanston Summer Course 2008. Dinah Sweet
Our heart is in the Highlands! Dorian Pritchard
Administration of BIBBA
BIBBA and publicity. Roger Patterson

BIM 30 – Winter 2008

Why the native bee is the best bee for the British climate. John E. Dews
Discoidal shift. John E. Dews
My approach to bee improvement. Roger Patterson
Is the Dark Bee really native to Britain and Ireland? Dorian Pritchard
The Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations (FIBKA) and BBKA examination systems
Breeding Groups Secretary. Jo Widdicombe
The one that nearly got away. Micheál Mac Giolla Coda
Bedfordshire Beekeepers' Association queen rearing day. Wally Thrale
Bee improvement and conservation in Southern England. Terry Clare
Galtee Group queen rearing workshop. Jim Ryan
Bee improvement and conservation in County Louth.
Medway and North Kent Bee Breeding Group (MedBees). Terry Clare

BIM 29 – Summer 2008

"The Dark Bee In Russia", Moscow, 2008 Dorian Pritchard
SICAMM Presidential Address, Moscow 2008 Dorian Pritchard
Impressions of Russia Jo Widdicombe
The Queen Rearing Day, Isle of Wight Ian King
Queen rearing at Alnwick Brian Ripley
Setting up the Ulster Bee Improvement Group (UBIG) Mervyn Eddie
DEFRA Consultation Terry Clare
Update on Stratford-upon-Avon Bee Improvement Group Peter Edwards
Morphometry made easy — eventually! Peter Edwards
Varroa destructor and winter losses Terry Clare
Nature Reserves and Native Bees Dorian Pritchard
Bees in Europe and Sustainable Honey production (BEESHOP) Rodolfo Jaffé, Stephan Wolf and Robin F.A. Moritz
BIBBA Conference 2008 Dinah Sweet