Leitrim beekeepers attended bee conference in Athlone last weekend

Digges Beekeepers' Association and Sligo/Leitrim Beekeepers Association members attended the Native Irish Honey Bee Society (NIHBS) annual conference last weekend.  

Entitled "Keep it Local," the conference attracted its biggest crowd yet with speakers including Professor Grace McCormack from Galway University, who spoke about the work the Galway Honey Bee Research Centre has carried out showing that Ireland still holds significant populations of Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm), the subspecies native to here and under threat elsewhere across its range, and that wild honey bees are common here. 

Eoghan Mac Giolla Coda is a commercial beekeeper whose primary interest is honey production. Over the 12 years he has worked as a full-time beekeeper, his colonies averaged close to 80 lbs p.a., Given Ireland's cool and damp climate. 

He believes that to achieve good yields, it is essential to work with locally adapted bees that can best take advantage of the generally short periods of good weather.

Mike Palmer, also a commercial beekeeper but from Vermont, spoke about how best to improve local bee stock. The weekend was wrapped up with Colm O'Neill on practical queen rearing for conservation.

Speaking about the conference's success, NIHBS Chairperson Loretta Neary said: "We are very pleased to see the biggest turnout yet. Our membership rose by 20% this last year, which is encouraging and means our message is reaching the general public interested in learning more about our threatened native Irish honey bee and are keen to help us conserve it."

Ms Neary continued: "Honey bee hybridisation in Ireland is worrying and rose from under 5% in 2018 to over 12% in 2023, with some areas having more than 30% hybrids. Many beekeepers confirm that hybrids are leading to aggression and other undesirable characteristics. 

"There will be no return once we lose these important genetics, and the more people we can inform, the more chance we have to save this important part of our natural heritage," she said.

Legislation to prohibit imports of non-native honey bees was introduced into the Seanad with full party support. 

The bill was paused until the completion of a review by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Marine. In the meantime, an interim ban on imports is urgently required under the precautionary principle to prevent further worsening of hybridisation.