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.
Events
September 25
| Friday 12th 19:30 | Honeybees, Bumblebees and Solitary Bees – the same but different by Lorraine Wheeler | C&G BKA, Uckington Village Hall, GL51 9SR |
October 25
| Friday 10th 19:30 | Honey, efficiency and humidity by Derek Mitchell | C&G BKA, Uckington Village Hall, GL51 9SR |
November 25
| Thursday 27th 19:30 | Trees & Bees by Richard Rickitt | Newent Community Centre (Glebe Chapel) |
News
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Royal Three Counties Show 2025
Online entry to the Royal Three Counties Honey Show is now available (closing date May 14th). The theme for this year’s Bees & Honey Show is ‘Honey & Health’ organised by Herefordshire on behalf of the three counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Read more…
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GBKA 2025 Spring Lecture Day, County Honey Show and AGM
Saturday, February 22nd. Hosted by the South Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association at Hawkesbury Upton Village Hall, GL9 1AU. This year we have three exciting talks from two speakers (Professor Francis Ratnieks and Brigit Strawbridge) covering the Ivy Bee, integrated Varroa control and the life cycle of our native bumblebees and solitary bees. Read more….
Yellow-legged Hornet Sightings
GBKA Asian Hornet Action Teams
| January | Single hornet |
| February | |
| March | Single hornet |
| April | 9 single hornets 1 nest destroyed |
| May | 8 single hornets 1 nest destroyed |
| June | 9 hornet sightings 6 nests destroyed |
| July | 26 nests destroyed |
| August | 44 nests destroyed |
| September | 52 nests destroyed |
| October | 1 nest destroyed |
| November | |
| NBU Total | 158 nests destroyed |
Government Confirmed Sightings
Updated 3/11/25
- At the start of 2025 two single Asian Hornets were captured. One in Oswestry (January) and one in Canterbury (March).
- More single hornets were captured in April (9) and May (4) and a nest destroyed in Kent.
- Additional single or multiple hornets captured in June and 5 nests destroyed (Kent and West Sussex).
- There was a large increase in sightings from mid-July.
- As of the 31st of October, the NBU rolling update reports 530 credible sightings and 158 nests found and destroyed. The majority are in Kent and the South East but a secondary nest was reported in Cheshire and another in North Yorkshire.
Do you have land suitable for bees or an apiary?
If so please contact your local GBKA association secretary here.