If you keep bees in Wakefield or Pontefract and you haven’t yet registered on BeeBase, please do. It is free, it takes a few minutes, and it is the quickest way to hear about serious bee disease near your apiary.
Why register on BeeBase
- When a notifiable disease such as foul brood is confirmed, registered beekeepers with an apiary within 3km receive an email alert, as long as the National Bee Unit has an email address on record.
- Registered beekeepers can be included in the area inspection programme, where inspectors also give advice on bee health.
- You get seasonal husbandry alerts as well, such as warnings about starvation risks.
- The public BeeBase site has disease maps, so you can see the history near you.
What you will need
You record where your apiaries are and roughly how many colonies you keep. The locations matter more than the exact numbers. Keep your email address and phone number up to date so you can be reached.
Why it matters locally
A bee disease outbreak in Ilkley made the news this summer, and members pointed out that foul brood has been closer to Wakefield than that. Staying alert at every inspection, and keeping your details current, helps all of us protect our bees. Members were also reminded not to collect swarms from areas under restriction.
If you ever suspect foul brood, contact the National Bee Unit straight away. You can find out more on the National Bee Unit website, or in this BBKA News article.