BIG EMBA
(Bee Improvement Group)
What is BIG EMBA?
Locally adapted bees are much better suited to our local climate in many ways and reduce the risk of introducing disease and parasites, which is an ever-increasing threat. To this end, a new group has been set up called Bee Improvement Group (BIG) EMBA.
This is a collection of like-minded beekeepers who are already raising queens to sell locally at very good value (£25-£30) to fellow beekeepers. The group has agreed on certain key values guiding the selection and raising of queens. These values include a calm temperament and working towards varroa resistance. Local queens over generations also naturally tend to be darker. In Central Scotland, there are some colonies proven to have 80-90% native genetics.
If you raise your own queens routinely, and agree with the values of BIG maybe you could also be encouraged to raise an extra one or two queens to share locally and be part of BIG EMBA.
Why Local Queens?
01
Suited to our local climate
This can result in less additional feeding when the weather is poor, requires less food overwinter, and will fly in lower temperatures. Better overwintering survival rates as better adapted to our local climate.
02
Lower Disease Risk
There is an ever-increasing risk of imported queens bringing in Tropilaelaps or other pathogens. CBPV has been shown to be more prevalent in imported queens.
03
Queen Rearing is Fun
Learning how to raise your own queens means you can be in charge of how well fed your queens are and the nature of the colony. Queens raised in small quantities, by grafting or supersedure, are often excellent quality, which you have some control over.
04
Supporting Local
You will be supporting your local beekeepers by not introducing foreign or non local genetics, which can negatively affect their bees and may result in aggressive bees or bees that need constant support to thrive; in turn, everyone benefits.
Learn How to Raise Your Own Queens
Raising your own queens is both satisfying and sustainable; you will likely never want to buy a queen ever again once you realise that your own queens are bigger and better suited to your local area. You will also have backup queens available in case of emergency. It was once an essential skill that all beekeepers possessed, with no need to buy in new queens each year.
A queen-rearing course is offered annually in June and is available to any member beekeeper who wishes to raise enough queens for themselves and possibly others.
There will be an opportunity to learn different grafting techniques, but you will also learn how to harvest queen cells and produce mated queens using different kinds of equipment or manipulating your colonies for this end.
This short course is especially useful if you have been keeping bees for two or three years or more, and/or would like to improve your queen rearing techniques.
Teaching Beekeepers’
Queens
BIG Queens & nucs will be advertised to EMBA members, when available on our Whatsapp Marketplace.