Connemara Beekeepers

08/10/2026

🐝 Save the Date! 🐝

We're delighted to announce the joint NIHBS & SICAMM Conference 2027, taking place 20-23 May 2027 at the University of Galway, Ireland. Under the theme"Better Together | Níos fearr le chéile", the conference will bring together beekeepers, scientists, breeders, and conservationists from across Europe to celebrate and promote the conservation of the native dark honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera.

Expect inspiring scientific presentations, practical workshops, international collaboration, competitions, social events, and opportunities to share knowledge and best practice for the future of native honey bee conservation.

📅 Save the date now and join us in Galway for this unique gathering of the native bee community.

26/09/2026

The Georgina Campbell Natural Food Award being presented to Karin Stierle and Kieran Harnett representing both NIHBS and natural food producers. Kieran is also part of the Dublin Honey Project.

30/07/2026

The Protection Of The Native Irish Honey Bee Bill 2021 - Podcasts % Clare FM

16/06/2026

The use of ‘a blend of EU and non-EU honey’ will no longer be permitted on honey labelling, as countries of origin must now be named.

12/06/2026

🐝 Did you know that 1 in 4 European veterinary schools teaches nothing about honey bee health?

And yet veterinary professionals are legally responsible for setting honey bee disease controls under World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Terrestrial Code Chapter 4.15. They are graduating without the training to do the job properly.

With Varroa, exotic pests, and viral diseases threatening colonies worldwide, the Apimondia Federation Working Group-GVPA is calling on the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) for urgent change: mandatory bee health training in veterinary schools globally.

✅ Mandate a minimum of 20 core bee health hours in veterinary curricula worldwide
✅ Develop WOAH Day One competences for honey bees, harmonised with European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) standards.
✅ Require bee health training — including preventive medicine, queen bee trading, and beeswax-borne diseases.
✅ Expand postgraduate and continuing education programmes for practising veterinarians
✅ Establish global monitoring of honey bee veterinary education compliance
✅ Promote interdisciplinary One Health approaches connecting bee health, food safety, environmental health, and ecosystem resilience

Because healthy bees need expert professionals. And expert vets need proper training in insect pollinators.

Read Policy Brief #7 here 👉https://apimondia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/07_Honeybee-Veterinary-Education-Advancement.pdf

11/06/2026

08/06/2026

A great turnout in Tullamore today for John Summerville’s Native Irish Honey Bee Society 2026 Queen Rearing and Bee Improvement Day.

It was possibly the greatest gathering of world-class beekeepers in Ireland since the well-remembered meetings at Gormanstown. Not only did we witness this remarkable coming together, but everyone benefitted greatly from the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and experience throughout the day, followed by tea and conversation afterwards.

A special thank you to all our members, new supporters, and the many interested beekeepers who travelled to attend, especially on a day when the weather was threatening to be moist, to say the least!

We are particularly grateful to the many new visitors who came to learn more about the Native Irish Black Honey Bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. We truly appreciate you taking the chance to venture out on what was a very dull day in many parts of Ireland, though thankfully not in the fortunate microclimate of Clonminch Lane.

Thank you all for making a such a memorable and inspiring day.