Brighton & Lewes Beekeepers

19/07/2026

BBKA office had an email from Royal Mail. Whilst we appreciate not huge numbers of our members post bees we thought we'd pass on the message.
"Here at Royal Mail we have experienced an increase in the number of escaping live bees coming through our network.
Can you please request that your members follow the requirements on the Royal Mail webpage https://help.royalmail.com/.../Prohibited-and-restricted... which are:
Inner packaging
Any internal packaging materials must be based on the requirements of the live creatures, insects and invertebrates, taking into consideration the necessary humane care they require while in transportation.
Outer Packaging
Must be constructed to protect, keep safe and securely contain live creatures, insects and invertebrates.
Must be constructed to prevent escape and to preclude the container and its contents from being crushed in normal handling
Any outer packaging containing live creatures, insects and invertebrates requiring moisture during transportation must be constructed of water resistant material.
Security and Ventilation
Containers must be constructed to prevent the escape of the live creatures, insects and invertebrates and must always provide adequate ventilation
Failure to do so stresses the bees and will result in the lose of the bees for the recipient and sender.
Our SOP is to get a local bee keeper to trap and remove the bees if possible." . Royal Mail

18/07/2026

15/07/2026

As part of bees needs week there's a request for people to get involved in some citizen science with Flower-insect timed (FIT) counts
You can also get involved with invaluable citizen science:
All you need to do is simply spend 10 minutes watching flowers and insects in good weather. FIT counts can be done anywhere, including gardens and parks in warm, dry weather, any time from April to September.
Every single count submitted to the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) helps make our data more meaningful, to help us learn more about where pollinators live and how their numbers are changing.
Read the PoMS instructions for FIT counts and help us help pollinators!
https://ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts
Spend ten minutes watching flowers and insects in good weather! This simple survey collects data on the total number of insects that visit a particular flower, ideally chosen from their list of 14 target flowers. FIT Counts can be done anywhere, including gardens and parks, in warm, dry weather during daylight hours from 1 April to 30 September. See less

The UK PoMS recording season runs from 1 April to 30 September each year. Read on for how to join in, and download the guidance documents.Flower-Insect Timed CountsSpend ten minutes watching flowers and insects in good weather! This simple survey collects data on the total number of insects that vis...

14/07/2026

It's Bees’ Needs Week 2026!
13 – 19 JulyThis week is all about giving our hardworking pollinators the support they need to thrive. Bees, butterflies, and other insects are vital for our food, flowers, and environment — and we can all help them with a few simple actions.
Here are 5 easy things anyone can do: Grow more nectar-rich flowers, shrubs and trees
Even if you don’t have a garden — window boxes and balcony planters work brilliantly! Let patches of your garden (or land) grow wild
A little untidiness creates perfect habitat for pollinators. Cut your grass less often
Let those dandelions and clover flower — the bees will thank you! Don’t disturb insect nests and hibernation spots
Leave quiet corners undisturbed so bees and bugs can rest safely. Think carefully before using pesticides
Consider natural alternatives whenever possible.Every small action adds up! Which one of these will you try this week? Drop a comment below and tag a friend who might join in too. Let’s make Bees’ Needs Week 2026 our biggest one yet!

09/07/2026

Do you want to become a beekeeper?

https://www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk/
Find out more.
Start beekeeping here!

We work in the beautiful Sussex countryside as our office, arrange beekeeping courses for beginners, prepare beekeepers for assessments and provide support for beekeepers wanting to learn more about bees.
On the way we extract honey, make candles, use microscopes, learn about pollen grains and plants which provide pollen and nectar for our bees - there is a lot more to beekeeping than you may think!

08/07/2026

Let's talk - What is the biggest beekeeping challenge you are having this season in the UK? A neck fan at times makes the temperatures while wearing a full suit slightly more comfy

26/06/2026

There are people who wake up before dawn to check on their hives. Who watch the seasons through the behaviour of their bees. Who know that a bad harvest isn't just an economic loss, it's a signal, something in the landscape has changed.

Beekeepers have been sounding the alarm for decades. And in 2007, when colony losses across Europe became impossible to ignore, they stopped waiting to be heard and started organising.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧. What started as a handful of associations from Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Spain and Italy has grown into a network of 30 organisations across 12 EU Member States, a coordinated European voice for pollinators, biodiversity and the future of sustainable agriculture.

Our President 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢 has written about that journey, the trust built between beekeepers, researchers and institutions, and why the next step, the EU BeeLovers campaign, is also about bringing all of us closer to what's really in that jar of honey on our shelves.

Because honey isn't just a sweet ingredient. It's a measure of the health of our landscapes, our food systems and the choices we make every day.

20/06/2026

Our apiaries come in all shapes and sizes. Producing local honey and managed by our lovely members. We sell our honey via our website. Visit to see if we are selling from your postcode https://www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk/?page_id=1749

09/06/2026

This was of great interest to us https://fb.watch/HDwuLqRyxl/