Managing Common Diseases and Disorders – Dan Basterfield

Whilst varroa, hornets, and foul brood receive a lot of attention, it is easy to overlook the impact of the more mundane (but arguably more damaging) diseases and disorders. We will look at three common problems: nosema, chalkbrood, and queen failures (both drone layers and laying workers), and discuss how to spot them, and what to do if we find them. The emphasis is on practical colony management, and the session is aimed at both beginners and those with a few years of beekeeping experience.

Dan grew up with beekeeping around him, earning pocket money by clipping and marking queens. Having spent 15 years working in large companies, he returned to the family beekeeping business in Devon in 2005, and with his father expanded the business and built a brand new Honey Farm as the centre of their honey production, queen raising, and teaching activities. Dan holds the National Diploma in Beekeeping (NDB), is a BBKA Master Beekeeper, and is an examiner for the BBKA and NDB examinations. He is a regular lecturer around the UK on practical beekeeping topics. Daniel wrote some of the BBKA’s Course in a Case training courses, has contributed to the BBKA’s Liquid Gold and Swarming videos, and co-authored the BBKA’s Healthy Hive Guide book. He has just published Using Apideas, a manual for queen mating nucs. He is a member of the Bee Farmers Association, and has been a Trustee and Chairman of the International Bee Research Association (IBRA), and Chairman of the NDB Examination Board.

The link for the meeting will be shared via the newsletter the week of the meeting so check your inbox for the details.