Farnham Beekeepers Association

25/09/2026

On Wednesday we were very happy to welcome Greg Stafford, the MP for Farnham and Bordon, to the FBKA apiary.
The main aim of his visit was to learn about Yellow-legged (Asian) hornets. Julie, the FBKA YLH coordinator, together with Barbara and Ian from the YLH team, and members of FBKA committee gave him a full explanation of the impact this invasive species can cause. Mr Stafford saw specimens, heard about the damage to biodiversity that YLHs will cause should they become established, and learned about monitoring methods. A very useful discussion followed about how we can spread the word through the farming community and monitoring MOD land, as well as asking the general public to report any sightings.
Mr Stafford, after an excellent bee briefing from David, our education lead, then suited up and had a guided tour through a hive. 🐝
Gregory Stafford MP
Rural Life Living Museum

23/08/2026

Fantastic work Hive Helpers🐝💚🐝

☀️🎨⚽ A Summer Packed with Free Family Fun! 🚜🐝🎭

Over the past few weeks, children and families have been making the most of a fantastic programme of free activities made possible through £20,000 of grant funding from Farnham Town Council.

From arts projects and family farm visits to youth activities, holiday clubs, community events and theatre performances, it’s been a busy summer so far. But there’s still lots more to come before the new school term begins!

There are opportunities to join bee walks, enjoy community days and discover a wide range of free activities taking place across Farnham over the coming fortnight.

Find out what’s still happening this summer and make the most of the final weeks of the holidays at www.farnham.gov.uk/services/younger-people/ 🌞💚

☀️🎨🐝🎭

30/07/2026

🐝 SMOKER USE - PLEASE TAKE EXTRA CARE

We're in the middle of another spell of very hot, very dry weather and the ground in and around our apiaries is like a tinderbox. With the recent news of a serious wildfire in Suffolk, this is a gentle but serious reminder about smoker use.

A smoker is a regularly used tool for most beekeepers and that's exactly the risk. Habit is where human error creeps in and in these conditions, a single spark or a carelessly emptied smoker could do real harm.

Before you light up we suggest:

- Keep a bucket of water within arm's reach whenever your smoker is lit.
- Never tip out hot embers onto dry grass, straw or vegetation. Douse them fully and check they're cold.
- Make sure your smoker is completely extinguished before it goes back in the car or shed.
- Add smoker use to your apiary risk assessment and review it for these conditions.

It's also a good moment to think differently:

- Time inspections for the cooler parts of the day.
- Consider light misting if appropriate.
- If an inspection isn't essential, wait until some cooler weather arrives.

The bees will forgive a delayed inspection. A wildfire is a great deal harder to undo.

Please look after yourselves, your apiaries and the countryside around them. 🐝

PLEASE SHARE with your fellow beekeepers.

04/07/2026

We are The Bourne Show, come and buy some local 🍯 and see our 🐝. the Queen 👑

29/06/2026

🐝 Wednesday's 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗢𝗻 at The Bourne Show…
We’re delighted to welcome Farnham Beekeepers Association to the show this year.

Set in the beautiful grounds of the Rural Life Living Museum in Tilford, the Farnham Beekeepers Association is dedicated to supporting and encouraging the craft of beekeeping. They’re passionate about helping everyone understand just how important bees are to our environment, and why they need our protection.

Come along, meet the team, learn something new, and discover the fascinating world inside the hive. It’s a brilliant stop for families, nature‑lovers and anyone curious about the tiny creatures that keep our world blooming 🐝🌼

29/06/2026

A European honey bee (Apis mellifera) flaps its wings at a rate of approximately 230 to 235 times per second (Hz). So fast that even super slo-mo on a Samsung smartphone struggles to catch them clearly!

This high-frequency wingbeat allows the bee to generate sufficient lift to carry heavy loads of nectar and pollen, which can equal up to 80% of its body weight.

13/06/2026

What a lovely day was had at the Churt fete today. We do have a question though... who put the blade of grass in with the bees?

The removal team were quick to respond 🐝 🤣

13/06/2026

Come and meet us and our bees at Churt fete today!