This is the second survey of beekeeping husbandry issues in Northern Ireland. A questionnaire survey was sent out hardcopy to beekeeping associations and an online copy made available on the AFBI website. One-hundred-and-thirty-four beekeepers responded. In addition, a separate set of four questions was included, specifically for the Europe wide COLOSS survey into bee colony losses.
Details
- Colony loss for the 2010 survey was 13% compared to 23% in 2009.
- One third of beekeepers maintained nuclei and the overwintering mortality of these was 49%.
- Typically, beekeepers had 1-2 colonies, which is lower than the 3-5 given in 2009.
Honeybee husbandry survey winter 09-10