Events Honey Show Public

2026 Honey Show

Our annual Honey Show, run to National Honey Show rules, is where beekeepers and others submit their honey, wax items, cookery and craft items related to bees and beekeeping for judging by experienced judges, with rosettes and trophies awarded to winners. There are entry classes not only for our members but also for other beekeepers and the public.

For more information see here.

Events Members Only Training Event

Healthy Bees Day with the NBU Inspectors

NBU inspectors demonstrate inspection for and recognition of bee pests and diseases (including AFB and EFB).

This is an event that all beekeeping members should attend to learn about, or refresh your knowledge on, bee pests and diseases. Even if you have attended previous similar events, you should not miss the opportunity to update your knowledge and ability to recognise exotic pests and devastating diseases. Seeing EFB and AFB infected combs at first hand so you can recognise them is so important to us all.

The day will include:

  1. Latest information on exotic pests – Asian Hornet and Small Hive Beetle
  2. Latest information on permitted varroacides and varroa management
  3. Comb Workshop – examination of real infected comb (including the reportable diseases AFB and EFB)
  4. Inspectors demonstrating an apiary hive health inspection – how to do a thorough disease inspection.
Honey Festival Honey Show Public

2025 Honey Show and Festival

Our annual Honey Show, run to National Honey Show rules, is where beekeepers and others submit their honey, wax items, cookery and craft items related to bees and beekeeping for judging by experienced judges, with rosettes and trophies awarded to winners. There are entry classes not only for our members but also for other beekeepers and the public.

Our Honey Festival (10.30am to 4pm) is a fun day for all with stalls and talks throughout the day. Tasting and sales of local honey are always popular. There will be live bees on display, children’s crafts, candle rolling, talks such as “So You Want To Be A Beekeeper” and “Gardening For Bees”. Do come along, we would love to see you.

See the Honey Show page for more details including how to enter

Events Members Only

Introductory Microscopy

Sean Stephenson (chair of Bucks County BKA and a Master Beekeeper) will run an 1-day introductory microscopy course for us at Steppingly village hall on Sunday 30th March. The course will include introduction to bee dissection and making pollen slides. Microscopes and all other equipment required will be provided. If you have your own microscope, you are welcome to bring it along. You will need to bring your own lunch. Course fee is £20.

10am start till 4pm (2 x 2.5 hour sessions).

There are a maximum of 16 places.

You can book a place here: https://webcollect.org.uk/bedsbka/event/introductory-microscopy

 

Events Public Training Event

2025 Beginner Training (Bedford)

This course is suitable for beginners and new beekeepers. 

A series of 6 classroom based sessions will be held at Moggerhanger Village Hall on Wednesday evenings from 7.30 to 10.00pm covering basic theory; a break for coffee/tea is included. The 2025 course starts on Wednesday 29th January with subsequent sessions on the 12th, 19th, 26th Feb and the 12th, 19th March (note not consecutive weeks due to venue availability).

Once the weather improves, we move outside to our training apiary for practical experience throughout the spring and summer. Practical sessions are held on Sunday mornings at Priory Country Park (weather permitting).

The course fee (£98) includes all classroom and practical sessions as well as full membership of Bedfordshire Beekeepers Association until the end of 2025.

To join the Bedford course, use this link.

Note that we also run a course in the Luton area – see here.

Events Public Winter Talk

Online Talk – Rational Varroa Control by Professor David Evans

Don’t miss out! Get your free ticket for another talk by one of our favourite speakers – Prof David Evans. Click here to get a ticket:

Varroa remains the greatest threat to bees and beekeeping. The mite, and the viruses it transmits, are responsible for most overwintering colony losses. To avoid these mite levels must be minimised. This presentation discusses some of the science behind why Varroa and viruses are a threat to our bees before moving on to practical beekeeping considerations including how and when to control Varroa in your hives. Many beekeepers treat at the wrong time of the season, or use the wrong treatment, for maximal effect. In addition to a late summer and midwinter treatment (which should be all that are needed for successful Varroa management) the opportunities to treat in the middle of the season, the importance of managing Varroa in swarms and the strategic, landscape-scale, management of Varroa are also discussed.