Thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s winter losses survey. We received 320 responses, around a quarter of SBKA’s membership, giving us a valuable snapshot of how colonies fared across Somerset.
Overall losses
Members reported an average 31% winter loss rate. As Geoff Blay, Master Beekeeper, and reviewer notes, “respondents suffered a loss ratio of 31%… [but] this relates to respondents and will not necessarily be representative of the whole membership.” Even so, the figure highlights the challenges many beekeepers faced over the 2025/6 winter.
Varroa treatment made the biggest difference
The clearest finding from the analysis is the impact of varroa management on colony survival:

• Beekeepers using Apivar or Apivar plus oxalic acid had very low losses (8%).
• Those not treating or using non approved methods had much higher losses (57%).

The reviewer concludes that “varroa treatments seem to be a major factor on survival rates” and that many beekeepers may not fully recognise the threat varroa poses.
Weather often blamed, but not usually the main cause
More than half of respondents mentioned weather as a factor, but only 12.3% cited varroa. The report suggests that weather is rarely the primary cause unless colonies are already weakened, noting “I don’t think that weather is normally the main cause for loss.”
Other factors harder to assess
The survey included questions on queen replacement, genetics, hive type, insulation and feeding. However, some questions did not provide enough detail to draw firm conclusions - for example, queen ages and starvation indicators could not be reliably identified.
Improving future surveys
Geoff recommends several improvements to help SBKA gain clearer insights in future years:

• Asking members to identify specific causes of loss (e.g., starvation, queen failure, wasp or woodpecker damage).
• Sharpening questions on feeding, queen replacement and genetics.
• Making it easier to analyse data directly from SurveyMonkey.
• Increasing the number of responses and repeating the survey annually to track trends.

Key messages for members

• Effective varroa treatment is the single most important factor in winter survival.
• Survey design improvements will help SBKA support members more effectively.

​Yellow-legged Asian hornets (YLH) have been discovered in Somerset for the very first time (w/c 24 August 2026), prompting a rapid response from the National Bee Unit (NBU) to prevent the invasive species becoming established in the county.

The initial hornet was spotted by a beekeeper in Ashcott and reported through the Asian Hornet Watch app. Further hornets were seen the next day, confirming that this was not an isolated arrival. Inspectors from the National Bee Unit (NBU), supported by specialist trained beekeepers from Somerset’s YLH teams, immediately began tracking the insects using both traditional methods and an electronic tagging system, which allows tagged hornets to be followed back to their nest. Bee inspectors located a small nest hidden in a dense bramble patch, which a specialist NBU team destroyed, preventing the emergence of hundreds of new queens.

Lynne Ingram, Master Beekeeper, and organiser of the Somerset Beekeepers YLH teams, said: “This is the first time yellow legged Asian hornets have ever been found in Somerset, and early reporting made all the difference. Because someone took a photo and used the Asian Hornet Watch app, the National Bee Unit - supported by our trained volunteers -  was able to act quickly and destroy the nest before new queens emerged.”

She added: “Yellow-legged Asian hornets are highly invasive and can spread fast. We want Somerset to remain a yellow-legged hornet free zone, and the public’s vigilance is absolutely essential.”

Somerset’s long standing YLH response teams
Somerset Beekeepers have been preparing for this moment for nearly a decade. Yellow-legged Asian hornet teams were first established after the very first UK YLH was discovered in North Devon in 2017. Since then:
• Many Somerset team members have travelled to Jersey, where Asian hornets are widespread, to learn nest tracking and safe handling techniques.
• Regular training exercises are run across Somerset to ensure volunteers are ready to support the National Bee Unit whenever a hornet is reported.
This long term preparation meant that trained volunteers could immediately assist NBU inspectors during this week’s successful nest tracking operation.

How to identify a yellow legged Asian hornet
Look for these key features:
• Almost entirely dark brown or black body
• Bright yellow ‘knee socks’ on the legs
• A single yellow orange band near the tail end
• Slightly smaller than the native European hornet (around 3 cm)

What to do if you spot one
Members of the public are urged to:
• Take a clear photo or video
• Report it immediately via the free Asian Hornet Watch app
• Avoid disturbing the insect or searching for the nest
Reports go directly to specialists who can assess the sighting and take action if needed.

Why this matters
Yellow-legged Asian hornets pose a serious threat to honey bees and other pollinators. Early detection is the most effective way to stop them becoming established in the UK. Somerset Beekeepers Association and the National Bee Unit are continuing to monitor the area and encourage everyone to stay alert, especially around gardens, allotments, orchards and flowering ivy.

Somerset Beekeepers Association is delighted to announce that Dr Richard Bache, a Master Beekeeper, National Diploma in Beekeeping holder, and practising Somerset GP, has been named the winner of the West Country Honey Farms Award 2026.
The award recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the organisation and is often described as “the Oscar for supporting Somerset Beekeepers Association”.
Dr Bache has played a central role in the Association for many years, contributing across education, governance, and the preservation of Somerset’s beekeeping heritage. His service includes:

• Six years as Somerset BKA Secretary
• Newsletter editor
• Education officer
• Member of the Education Support Group, delivering online BBKA exam study sessions via Zoom
• Somerset’s delegate to the BBKA Annual Delegates Meeting
• Deputy representative to the South West Beekeeping Forum
• Somerset BKA Archivist, safeguarding the county’s beekeeping history
• Examiner for BBKA exams
• BBKA examiner

Beyond his formal roles, Richard is known for his deep knowledge of the craft and his extensive personal library of beekeeping books, which he readily shares with others.
Presenting the trophy, Somerset BKA President Anne Pike said: “Richard is a very worthy winner of the county’s principal award. His dedication, expertise and generosity have strengthened Somerset Beekeepers Association in countless ways, and his contribution to education has benefited beekeepers across the county and beyond.”
The Association warmly congratulates Dr Bache on this well deserved recognition.

Somerset Beekeepers Association (SBKA) is urging everyone to stay alert, get informed and be ready to report any sightings of the invasive yellow-legged Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) as part of the British Beekeepers Association’s Yellow-legged Asian Hornet Week (September 1–7).
“This year is already a record-breaker for yellow-legged Asian hornets (YLH). Their numbers have soared and there have been more sightings and nest discoveries this season than in all previous years put together,” said Master Beekeeper Lynne Ingram, SBKA Asian Hornet Team Coordinator. 
“It is predominantly Kent and East Sussex on the front line but last week nests were discovered in Cheshire and Yorkshire which shows YLH could turn up anywhere in the country.” 
YLH nests on Jersey have surged this year; the same density in Somerset would mean 14,630 nests.
“They don’t just threaten honey production, they threaten pollination, biodiversity, and our entire food system. One nest consumes around 11 kilos of insects in a single season,” added Lynne.
What to look for
The yellow-legged hornet is often confused with harmless native species. Key features of this predator are:
• Slightly smaller than the native European hornet at around 3cm
• Almost entirely dark brown or black body
• Distinctive bright yellow knee socks
• Single yellow/orange band near the tail end
• https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/diseases-and-pests/asian-hornet
Why it matters
These hornets are non-native predators that can wipe out honey bee colonies and devastate native insect populations. Unlike species with more specialised diets, they are opportunistic hunters – feeding on some 1,400 different insect species including honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies, hoverflies and beetles.
What to do if you think you’ve seen one
1. Take a clear photo from a safe distance
2. Record the location
3. Report immediately via the free Asian Hornet Watch app (iOS and Android)
Do not kill it or disturb any nests – experts will assess and respond.
Join the fight – even if none have been spotted yet
Even in regions without current sightings, vigilance is vital. A single queen can establish a nest, leading to thousands of hornets and multiple queens next season.

To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as World Bee Day.
The goal is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries.
Somerset BKA backs the UN campaign - this year's theme Bee inspired by nature to nourish us all highlights the critical roles bees and other pollinators play in agrifood systems and the health of our planet's ecosystems. Indeed, pollinators are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, unsustainable agricultural practices, climate change and pollution. Their decline jeopardizes food production, increases costs and exacerbates food insecurity, particularly for rural communities.
Pollination is essential for agrifood systems, supporting the production of more than 75 percent of the world's crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. In addition to increasing crop yields, pollinators improve food quality and diversity.
More than 200,000 animal species are pollinators, the vast majority of which are wild, including butterflies, birds, bats and more than 20 000 bee species.
Bees and other pollinators also serve as indicators of environmental health, providing insights into ecosystems and the climate. Protecting pollinators also enhances biodiversity and critical ecosystem services, such as soil fertility, pest control, and air and water regulation.
Nature-friendly agricultural practices like agroecology, intercropping, agroforestry, and integrated pest management help sustain pollinators, ensuring stable crop yields and reducing food shortages and environmental impacts.
Deliberate pollinator protection efforts ultimately foster the conservation of other components of biodiversity, which enhances ecosystem services like pest control, soil fertility and air and water regulation. Adopting a holistic approach that ensures the long-term co-existence of agricultural practices for the production of food, fibre and fuel is needed for sustainable agrifood systems.
There is something all of us can do to safeguard the future of pollinators.
Find out more about how you can promote #WorldBeeDay by reading FAQs Get involved guide

A group of Somerset beekeepers led by Fred Chaytors met Anna Sabine, Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset, at the House of Commons to raise issues affecting honey bees and pollinators including:
• Yellow-legged Asian hornets and the regional bee inspectorate
• Honey adulteration 
• The necessity for farmers to notify beekeepers about crop spraying
Fred (pictured on the left) presented Anna (third from left) and a member of her parliamentary office with jars of Somerset honey.

Somerset beekeeper Lynne Ingram, MB, NDB, has taken her fight against honey adulteration global.
Lynne has secured headlines in media titles around the world for her work with the Honey Authenticity Network (HAN UK) and scientists at Aston University.
Putting the spotlight on honey, she explains that beekeepers are being forced out of business due to cheap, adulterated imports. The UK is the second largest importer of honey in terms of volume in the whole of Europe and China is its top supplier. 
When beekeepers go out of business due to unfair competition, the risks to crop pollination and food security increase. 
Lynne, who is the BBKA's honey ambassador, wants the new government to acknowledge there is a problem.
"We want consumers buying honey to have confidence that they are purchasing a genuine product at a fair price and have the information to make an informed choice," she said.
The BBKA advocates, where possible, to buy honey from a local beekeeper which should ensure authenticity.
In May, the European Union updated its honey regulations to ensure clearer product labelling and a 'honey traceability system' to increase transparency.
On the labelling for blended honeys, for example, all countries of origin must be listed on the product. Labelling in the UK is not as stringent and Lynne believes consumers are 'being misled' by the packaging.
The UK is the second largest importer of honey in terms of volume in the whole of Europe. China is its top supplier.
Meanwhile, researchers at Aston University are using light to reveal the contents of honey samples at the molecular level in an effort to combat honey fraud.
The technique—known as Fluorescence Excitation-Emission Spectroscopy (FLE)—involves firing lasers into samples.
The light frequencies re-emitted are then collated into a three-dimensional image—or molecular fingerprint— of the honey tested.
Alex Rozhin, the project lead and a reader in nanotechnology at Aston, said that FLE is more accurate than existing tests and can provide results far more quickly and cheaply.
Eventually it is hoped to produce a version of the test which can be used on a smartphone. 

​Our AGM speaker, Matthew Elmes from Pollenize CIC, unveiled a new tool to combat the invasion of yellow-legged Asian hornets (AH) at our AGM.
Since then the company has launched a Crowdfunder campaign.
He described the ‘Nest Sweeper’ as a device that will help monitor the spread of the invasive insects:
“We've spent the last few years studying AH behaviour, including multiple research trips to Jersey, a hot-spot for AH activity, with the invaluable support of Alastair Christie BSc (Senior Scientific Officer for invasive species for the Government of Jersey).
“Our project involves the distribution of our 'Nest Sweeper' device, an enhanced Asian hornet bait station (EBS) coupled with a cutting-edge reporting app. We invite you to be a part of this vital effort to safeguard our ecosystems and bee populations.
“Unlike conventional bait stations, Nest Sweeper employs a vaporised dispersal method, allowing the hornet attractant to be carried on the wind. This innovative approach significantly increases the potential visitation of AH to the station, making it a game-changer for early detection and monitoring.”

The winner of this year’s most prestigious annual award for Somerset beekeepers is Lionel Horler from Castle Cary.
He received the West Country Honey Farms Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the craft from previous winner, Stewart Gould, at the county’s annual meeting.
Lionel, who has been keeping bees for nearly 50 years, led a team from the South East branch to set up an apiary at Hook Valley Solar Park on the outskirts of Wincanton.
What was once a muddy and disused corner of the site has been transformed into a thriving apiary accommodating 12 colonies and a building where members can meet. Opened in summer 2021, the apiary has already been used for training sessions and raising new colonies for those completing their beginners’ course. 
Lionel found national fame when he appeared alongside fellow Somerset resident Sarah Beeney collecting and hive a swarm for her tv series about living in the country.
As well as being an active swarm collector, he also heads the branch’s Asian hornet team and is actively recruiting more members and raising the profile of the threat the yellow-legged hornets pose to honey bees and pollinators.
Longstanding branch member Bob Jones added: “I have known Lionel since he first came to this area and found him unfailingly helpful, especially with those new to beekeeping, patient, and always ready to give freely of his time.
"Lionel is a lynch-pin in the bee tent at the Bath and West Show, runs the beginners' course year after year, and keeps himself forever available whenever there is cry for help from anyone in our beekeeping fraternity. I can think of no-one more deserving.”

BBC Countryfile has been looking into the murky world of honey adulteration this winter and caught up with high profile campaigner, Somerset beekeeper Lynne Ingram, NDB and Master Beekeeper.
Lynne visited presenter Adam Henson on his farm and invited him to taste some of her  Somerset honeys and talked about how local honey can be a snapshot of time and place.
Lynne chairs the Honey Authenticity Network (HAN UK) which is calling on the government to do more to protect consumers and beekeepers. She is also the BBKA's honey authenticity ambassador. 
Lynne is working with Aston University alongside the Scottish Bee Company and the BBKA to develop a new, reliable test for honey authenticity.