SRUC beekeeping | Beginning beekeeping

Key advice for beginner beekeepers

: BeeBase is one of the most valuable tools beekeepers in Britain have in the fight against notifiable honey bee diseases and pests. It is a hive of information containing up-to-date, relevant, and free advice for British beekeepers. It also provides vital data for the National Bee Unit and Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Teams about the health of Britain's honey bees.

Registering for BeeBase is free and provides lots of information and advice on pests and diseases as well as information about your responsibilities as a beekeeper.

In addition, if registered, you'll be notified if you are near an outbreak of notifiable diseases such as European Foul Brood (EFB) and American Foul Brood (AFB).
: Join your local association, which is affiliated with the Scottish Beekeepers' Association (SBA). They will have a wealth of experience and knowledge you can tap into.

Finding a beginners' course or an experienced mentor is a bonus, and your local association will hopefully help with that.

You can find your local association from the Scottish Beekeepers' Association (SBA) website.
: The Scottish Beekeepers' Association (SBA) plays a crucial role in supporting honey bees and beekeepers across Scotland. They offer educational workshop, training programmes and resources to help both novice and experienced beekeepers. Their initiatives include practical workshops on beeswax production, honey extraction and traditional beekeeping skills.

Being a member of the Scottish Beekeepers' Association also provides you with public liability insurance.
: Learn as much as you can from official, verified resources, experienced beekeepers, and teachers - ideally before you begin beekeeping yourself and from UK websites, as these will be more relevant.

Beware of information you find from unverified sources as much of it is either for a different country or climate and it can be full of misinformation.

Our dedicated education page are a great place to start your learning.
: Be aware that second-hand equipment or swarms may have disease.

Need advice?

If you need advice on your bees or beekeeping, feel free to get in touch with Lorraine Johnston, SRUC Bee Advisor for Scotland.

Email: Lorraine.Johnston@sruc.ac.uk
Phone: 077 95 91 92 09

Based at SRUC Barony Campus, Parkgate, Dumfries, DG1 3NE

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