The B4 Project exists to promote the native dark honey bee through sustainable beekeeping in biodiverse and healthy ecosystems.
This involves three related strands of focus: scientific research, conservation and restoration programmes, and a sustainable beekeeping framework. All elements are critical to ensure that our work is rooted in rigorous science and drives on-the-ground change.
This symposium provides a unique opportunity to unite science, conservation and community around sustainable solutions for our honey bee populations. Whether you are a beekeeper, policymaker or concerned citizen, you should be alarmed by the fact that we imported c35,000 honey bee queens into Britain from Southern Europe in 2024. Most of the imports were backdoored through Northern Ireland and a lot were resold with misleading provenance.
Symposium goals
The symposium will present clear and compelling evidence for:
• a change to the current status of honey bee imports into Britain and Ireland
• the threats posed by imports
• the role of Ireland and Britain as potential strongholds for the European dark bee (Apis mellifera mellifera)
• practical solutions to reduce imports and promote sustainable colony management.
The symposium will present clear and compelling evidence for:
• a change to the current status of honey bee imports into Britain and Ireland
• the threats posed by imports
• the role of Ireland and Britain as potential strongholds for the European dark bee (Apis mellifera mellifera)
• practical solutions to reduce imports and promote sustainable colony management.
Why this matters
Honey bee imports pose serious risks to wild and managed colonies across Britain and Ireland, contributing to:
• disease transmission and hybridisation
• loss of genetic resilience and local adaptations critical for survival in changing climates.
Honey bee imports pose serious risks to wild and managed colonies across Britain and Ireland, contributing to:
• disease transmission and hybridisation
• loss of genetic resilience and local adaptations critical for survival in changing climates.
Efforts led by groups like the B4 Project and researchers such as Grace McCormack and Jacques van Alphen emphasise the importance of locally adapted populations and the rejection of imports to preserve the genetic integrity of Apis mellifera mellifera.
