National Beehive Count

Posted on January 18, 2016 by beeadmin
Dear Beekeeper
We are writing to ask for your help in updating your records of the number of overwintering beehives within your apiaries on BeeBase, the National Bee Unit’s database. We would like you to record the total number of overwintering hives as of 1st November 2015.
Please update your records by 12th February 2016. We are asking you to do this as part of a pilot study for an annual National Beehive Count we will launch from the winter of 2016 onwards. The National Beehive Count is aimed at improving our understanding of our honey bee population – how many there are and how healthy they are. This fits in with the aims of pollinator and bee health strategies across the UK.
The information we gather will also be used by the EU Commission to assess the size of honeybee populations across the EU. The EU provides financial aid to Member States in support of their beekeeping sectors. We are required to submit estimates on the numbers of beekeepers and beehives in the UK in order to continue to receive our share of funding from the EU Apiculture Programme from 2020 onwards.
More details of this project, its importance and why we need your help can be found on Beebase  https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=362.
We have produced guidance on how to update your records within BeeBase, including a Frequently Asked Questions document.
The project is led by the National Bee Unit and supported by Defra, Welsh Government, Scottish Government, DARDNI, the British Beekeepers Association, the Welsh Beekeepers Association, the Scottish Beekeepers Association, International Bee Research Association, and the National Diploma in Beekeeping.

Thank you very much in advance for your assistance.
National Bee Unit
January 2016
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
FERA
Sand Hutton
York
Y041 1LZ
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

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