More than 20 bee species face extinction in NI as crucial job role remains vacant since last year
That's according to a new report by conservation charity Buglife which highlighted the alarming extent of the problem which has been blamed on the absence of a bee inspectorate in the region.
The warning comes on International World Bee Day and follows concerns expressed by the Ulster Beekeepers Association (UBKA) that the vital post has been vacant for too long.
The last full-time bee inspector retired at the end of October 2024 and the part-time inspector role has been vacant since December 2024.
The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) insists it 'is responding to recent reductions in inspectorate staff available for bee inspections' and confirmed a recruitment drive is under way.
Co Down beekeeper Valentine Hodges — who has between 80 and 100 hives — described the situation as 'critical' and expressed anger and disappointment.
'We now are at a critical stage where, through lack of recruitment we have no bee inspectors,' she said.
She added that if diseases are allowed to spread, it could have a domino effect on the food supply.
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Belfast Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
More than 20 bee species face extinction in NI as crucial job role remains vacant since last year
That's according to a new report by conservation charity Buglife which highlighted the alarming extent of the problem which has been blamed on the absence of a bee inspectorate in the region. The warning comes on International World Bee Day and follows concerns expressed by the Ulster Beekeepers Association (UBKA) that the vital post has been vacant for too long. The last full-time bee inspector retired at the end of October 2024 and the part-time inspector role has been vacant since December 2024. The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) insists it 'is responding to recent reductions in inspectorate staff available for bee inspections' and confirmed a recruitment drive is under way. Co Down beekeeper Valentine Hodges — who has between 80 and 100 hives — described the situation as 'critical' and expressed anger and disappointment. 'We now are at a critical stage where, through lack of recruitment we have no bee inspectors,' she said. She added that if diseases are allowed to spread, it could have a domino effect on the food supply.
BBC News
17-04-2025
- BBC News
NI's honey bees: Population at risk due to no bee inspectorate
Northern Ireland's honey bees are "under threat" due to the absence of a bee inspectorate since last year, according to the chair of Ulster Beekeepers Association (UBKA).The bee inspector is responsible for supporting bee health and addresses diseases such as American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB) which affect honey Hodges described the situation as "critical", adding that she is angry and disappointed that the post is vacant. The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said it "is responding to recent reductions in inspectorate staff available for bee inspections and recruitment competitions are underway". The last full-time bee inspector retired at the end of October 2024 and the part-time inspector role has been vacant since December AFB and EFB occur, the disease control of infected colonies is the responsibility of DAERA and it's beekeepers must report diseases within their own colonies, bee inspectors confirm such notifiable diseases, contain outbreaks, inspect neighbouring hives, and advise on destroying affected colonies. 'A threat to our bees' Mrs Hodges, a beekeeper in County Down who has around 80-100 hives, said bee inspectors "play a very important part in our normal beekeeping"."We now are at a critical stage where, through lack of recruitment and replacement, we have no bee inspectors," Mrs Hodges stated."The diseases themselves are not a threat to the public, they are a threat to our bees."However, she said if diseases spread, it could have a knock-on effect for food supply and pollination services due to honey bees being a key and EFB do not affect the quality of the honey that the bees Hodges said Daera's recruitment process is "not good enough"."It is good for the future, but we have a crisis right now," she added. Gareth Gillan, a beekeeper for over 20 years and treasurer at Mid Antrim Beekeepers Association, said he is "really concerned"."Whenever we do get inspectors back, is there going to be loads of cases of foulbrood?"American foulbrood especially is spore forming, so those spores can live up to 50 years, 60 maybe, max, so that will be in the environment for that length of time," he said."It's not something that will go away after a couple of years, they will still be present in the environment for a long time to come. " Mr Gillan said that about 15 years ago one of his hives had a confirmed case of AFB and he had to destroy the rest of the colony. "I was a bit remorseful because I had only started my beekeeping career and this had happened. But it was best practice".For the next two years his hives were checked regularly by the bee inspector for further signs of disease. In a statement, Daera said it recently met with the UBKA, adding that it is "committed to ensuring that its statutory obligations are fulfilled, which in the case of bee health is primarily to respond to confirmed findings of a notifiable pest or disease in honeybees"."In addition, the Department provides funding to the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) to provide research and free testing for bee disease, available to support all beekeepers to maintain bee health in Northern Ireland," Daera said.
BBC News
10-10-2024
- BBC News
Swanscombe: Calls for protection for wildlife haven
Wildlife charities have written to the government calling a nationally important wildlife haven in north Kent to be protected from the construction of a theme park. The Swanscombe Peninsula has been the subject of a Development Consent Order since 2014 and was the proposed home to the London Resort theme have called on Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who also has responsibility for housing, communities and local government, to secure its future by revoking the planning status. The government said it will "consider the issues raised in their letter and respond in due course'. In 2021, Swanscombe Peninsula was given protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the national importance of its geology, plant life and is home to over 2,000 species of invertebrate and 82 species of breeding birds, making it one of the most important breeding bird sites in south-east England, according to the charity Buglife.A planning application for the theme park was withdrawn in June the land was put up for sale and its co-owners, Anglo American International Holdings, say the "process is moving along well". Jamie Robins, programmes manager at Buglife, said: 'We have known for years that the site is a haven for wildlife, but the threat of a theme park continues to hang over it, leaving the community uncertain over the future of their much-loved green space, year after year. "After a decade of uncertainty the time has come for the secretary of state to remove this unnecessary and damaging planning status, so that we can take the steps to save it."The last government said in 2023 the environmental impact would be considered once an application had been submitted.
