google-site-verification: googlec7193c3de77668c9.html

Beekeeping: More NI colonies survived winter last year, figures show

Fewer bee colonies were lost last winter in Northern Ireland, new figures show.

The annual honey bee husbandry survey, external by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) found about one-in-four colonies were lost in 2025/26, compared to a third in 2024/25.

About half (51%) the losses were linked to problems with the queen bee. Others were lost because bees were dead or the hive was empty. Natural hazards including storms, flood and theft accounted for 10%.

AFBI entomologist Joanna Kirbas said the survey was “essential” for monitoring bee health and detecting long-term trends.

Bees are an important species for human survival.

They pollinate a third of our food groups and roughly 80% of wildflowers.

But globally, populations are under pressure from climate change, habitat destruction and human activity including farming.

The annual survey has been running for 18 years, creating a snapshot of beekeeping practices and challenges in Northern Ireland.


BBC News

Advertisements

See also  SuperCupNI: Football's rising talent parade in Coleraine

Check Also

Post-SEN support: ‘My autistic son and I feel abandoned and failed by the system’

A mother has said she feels her son has been “abandoned and is falling through …

West Belfast: Man charged with attempted murder of taxi driver

A 24-year-old man has been charged with the attempted murder of a taxi driver in …

Carabao Cup: Fleetwood Town’s Conor Haughey on winning penalty and viral post-match interview

Haughey became the youngest player in Glentoran history when he made his debut as a …

Leave a Reply

Available for Amazon Prime