Beekeepers’ Association notices rise in members

The Lincolnshire Beekeepers’ Association has noticed a sharp rise in members since bee populations started to decline.

Latest figures from the association show that increasing numbers of people are showing an interest in keeping bees since it was publicised that their population is in rapid decline. Existing members of the association suggest that this is down to strong messages in the media about the loss of natural habitat and the use of certain pesticides putting bees under serious threat of decline and even extinction.

Alan Campion, a member of the Lincoln branch of the national association, said: “Bees dying out was actually more of a problem in the USA because of a parasite called the varroa mite and colony collapse disorder.

“It sparked a greater interest in beekeeping for conservation purposes and we have had an influx of members over the past few years because of it.”

Mr Campion keeps bees himself and says that he gets between 50 and 70lbs of honey every year from his small hive – a sweet reason to take up the hobby.