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Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association

A warm welcome to Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association (GBKA). New members of all ages and experience are welcome to join us.

GBKA is a registered charity with the principal objective of promoting and furthering the craft of beekeeping. GBKA has been doing this for over 100 years and has members from all over Gloucestershire and its neighbouring counties.

GBKA is a member organisation of the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), the national organisation that provides a wide range of services to beekeepers including insurance, information, newsletters, examination programmes and legal advice.

The seven Branches of GBKA support beekeepers in their area and run their own programmes of meetings, talks, and training sessions. GBKA members can attend the meetings of any Branch.

Do you have land suitable for bees or an apiary?

If so please contact your local GBKA association secretary here.

National Bee Unit News

• 2023 Asian Hornet Rolling updates
  17/11/2023So far in 2023 there have been 72 Asian hornet nests found in 56 locations.KentFollowing enhanced monitoring in Kent, the NBU located a nest in Rye this week. It has been destroyed and removed.NBU active surveillance will be closing down but will carry on responding to credible sightings of individuals and nests. 10/11/2023So far in 2023 […]
• 2023 Hive Count
  The National Bee Unit is pleased to launch the 2023 National Hive Count today, 1st of November. The hard slog of summer beekeeping is done so make yourself a nice cup of tea, grab your laptop and sink into your favourite chair. It's time to update your BeeBase records!We would like to ask all beekeepers […]

BBKA News

• Melomakarona
  December 1, 2023
  These biscuits are delicious when fresh and keep well for several weeks so make an ideal gift.  They are both dairy-free and egg-free and are traditionally topped with chopped walnuts.  This version also has a walnut filling and you can decorate with chocolate if you like. Total time:  2 hours plus cooling.   Cooking:  25 minutes  […]
• December In the Apiary 2023
  December 1, 2023
  Karl Colyer With the shortest day looming, followed by endless weeks of cold weather, the bees will be at their least active stage of the year.  Everything is now geared to on-going survival using stored resources until nectar and pollen are once more available. And now we wait. And wait. Maybe a mild and sunny […]
• Plan your BBKA Spring Convention
  November 30, 2023
  Planning for 2024 BBKA Spring Convention 2024 is the 150th anniversary of the founding of the British Beekeepers Association. There’s no better place to come and celebrate this than the BBKA’s Spring Convention! The planning for the Spring Convention starts long before Spring, and whilst some speakers and workshops have yet to be finalised, it’s […]
• Friends of the Honey Bee
  November 30, 2023
                                            'Friends of the Honey Bee' is a BBKA initiative aimed at reaching out to schools and other community groups to encourage them to become more bee friendly and aware of the importance of all […]
• The difference you make
  November 30, 2023
  Apiary and Education Appeal YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAtQQAiQwUI Filmed by fridaysky : www.fridaysky.co.uk Thanks to a generous legacy from a beekeeper, Jim Hopkins, together with generous donations from the public and corporate sponsors, the BBKA has been able to complete work on the office building and apiary garden to provide the facilities needed for an educational […]
• Show Judge Certificate
  November 30, 2023
  Take your experience in showing honey and honey products to the next level In order to commence the assessment you must meet a number of entry requirements and hold the Basic Certificate. For full details please download the syllabus. To apply for the assessment, please contact your local Exam Secretary. They will be able to […]