Bees and Brambell's

We’ve recently been in conversation with a UK-based beekeeper who is studying for exams in Bee Health, studies that appear to involve for the most part killing bees so they can be dissected and examined. Not very healthy for the poor bees involved, but you can’t make an omelette without breaking  a few eggs, as they say…

Of course, we want the best for our bees and it has been interesting to hear about the new research centred on pest control, and the recent ideas around how to identify and treat for certain diseases. As in France, the same in England, with last year seeing an increase in the number of outbreaks of European Foul Brood, a disease that can lead to colony loss. The effect of varroa mite infestation also appears to be more insidious than first thought, with the mites being vectors for several different diseases that can deplete a colony of bees over time.

All of this sobering reflection made us think about how we care for our bees, and how they are viewed: as important livestock, as hard-working animals, as property? To consider insects in the same light as animals may seem strange, but why shouldn’t their wellbeing deserve as much thought as that which we give to fluffy warm-blooded creatures? In 1965 a government inquiry into the welfare of animals kept under intensive livestock husbandry resulted in The Brambell Report. This evaluation of animal welfare has been codified into the ‘Five Freedoms’ which have been adopted internationally by representative groups including the RSPCA and the World Organisation for Animal Health. They have been developed over the decades as new thinking about animal welfare has come about, but the basics can be applied to beekeeping. Please don’t think that up until this point beekeepers have been mistreating bees, it’s just interesting to consider applying this code to apiculture.

The Report stated that animals should have freedom from:

1. Hunger and thirst, having access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health
2. Discomfort, having an appropriate environment, including shelter
3. Pain, Injury, or Disease, by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
4. Fear and Distress, by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid suffering, and
5. To be able to express Normal Behaviour by providing sufficient space and proper facilities

All of this means that as beekeepers we can help by:

• providing fresh water
• planting lots of flowers that provide both nectar and pollen
• keeping our equipment clean
• providing sufficient space and ventilation in whatever hive system we choose to use
• inspecting hives regularly for disease and treat appropriately if required
• being on the lookout for any undesirables eg Asian hornets or wax moth

Healthy bees make happy beekeepers! To find out more about our beekeeping courses, please visit our website www.13bees.co.uk