Wharfedale Bee Breeding, Improvement & Education

This project by Wharfedale Beekeepers Association is to create an area high in bee forage suitable to rear bees, train beekeepers and give individually structured presentations to interested parties, including schools and colleges.

 It will create an apiary capable of breeding bees in the required quantity and will reduce the need to import stock from out of the area.  A bee breeding programme will supply new and existing members with good quality healthy local stock.  It will run events in bee breeding, health and queen rearing and give demonstrations to various groups.  It will advise and demonstrate to local authorities and property developers of bee beneficial plants that can be used in the grounds of new developments, parks, recreational areas and highway verges.  LEADER funding will be used to purchase bee friendly hedges and plants, hives and hive equipment, queen mating bees and laptop for presentations, demonstrations etc. 

The plight of the British Honey Bee has been well publicised and in 2007-2008 Yorkshire beekeepers suffered stock losses of 40%, which have not yet recovered.  This has increased the interest of beekeeping. From Association members depleted (and sometimes inferior stock) they are unable to generate stocks of bees to replace the loss or supply new comers to the craft.  This project will set up a breeding station to generate bees to supply demand, improve the quality and docility and within 10 years produce a Wharfedale strain that is best suited to our climate and flora.