Beekeeping & Honey
- Foilsithe: 9 Nollaig 2020
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 27 Meitheamh 2023
- Bee Health
- Registration of Beekeepers and Purchasers and Packers of Honey
- Beekeeping Schemes & Grants
- Import and Export of Bees
- Honey Production and Labelling
- Pollinators
- National Apiculture Programme
- The Native Irish Honey Bee
- Beekeeping Census
- Honey Export
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine supports Irish beekeeping through a number of initiatives including the National Apiculture Programme, provision of a free disease diagnostic service for Irish beekeepers, providing aid to support the activities of national beekeeping organisations and provision of grant aid for capital investments by individual beekeepers in specialised beekeeping related equipment and structures.
Bee Health
The beekeeping sector is regulated by EU and national legislation. Under this legislation, bees are subject to veterinary inspection for certain notifiable pests and diseases. Currently these are American Foul Brood Disease (AFB), European Foul Brood Disease (EFB), Small Hive Beetle (SHB) and the Tropilaelaps mite. To ensure compliance with the legislation, the beekeeper is required to contact DAFM at beekeeping@agriculture.gov.ie and submit samples if any one of above mentioned notifiable pests or diseases are suspected or diagnosed. AFB and EFB frequently occur in Irish honey bee colonies and details on how to take a sample for AFB and EFB testing are given in the guidance document below. To date, SHB and Tropilaelaps spp. have not been reported in Ireland, however beekeepers need to remain vigilant and throughout the active season continuously monitor for both species. Information sheets and identification details for both species are given in the fact sheets below.
The Asian Hornet is not a notifiable pest, however it is a serious pest not only for honey bee colonies but also for all wild bee populations. It arrived in Europe in 2004, but since then has successfully reproduced in many European countries including the UK. DAFM has been continuously monitoring for this pest as part of a broader surveillance programme since 2016. The first discovery in Ireland of a live specimen of Asian Hornet occurred on the 25th of April 2021. The press release of this sighting can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/63eaf-npws-confirms-first-discovery-of-a-live-specimen-asian-hornet-in-ireland/. There is no evidence that the Asian Hornet is established in Ireland at this time. Beekeepers should actively monitor their own area and locality for the Asian hornet, especially during the active season. The fact sheet below will assist beekeepers in the identification of this species. If a sighting of the Asian hornet is suspected, please contact DAFM at beekeeping@agriculture.gov.ieand if possible include a photograph. All suspect specimens should be submitted to DAFM, Plant Health Laboratories for confirmation.
The DAFM Honey bee Health Surveillance Programme
The Honey bee Health Surveillance Programme has been developed to replace the Bee Disease Diagnostic Service but will continue to be financially supported and coordinated by DAFM. For the past number of years, Teagasc has provided the laboratory facilities needed for this diagnostic service, initially in Clonroche in Wexford and more recently in Oakpark, Carlow, however from April 2020 onwards, all samples will be analysed in DAFM, Plant Health Laboratories, Backweston Campus, Celbridge. It will continue to be a free service and since the early detection of pest and pathogens is key to maintaining healthy stocks and maximising honey production, beekeepers should use this service and all other available supports. All samples submitted for analysis should be accompanied with a completed sample submission form (see below). The Honey bee health Programme guidance form below outlines the importance of sampling and gives guidelines on when/how to sample bees and brood from the colony.
Honey Bee Veterinary Medicines
Further information regarding honey bee health
Pests and Diseases including - Varroa Mite, Tracheal Mite, Bee-Louse (Braula Coeca) Tropilaelaps Mite, Small Hive Beetle (SHB), Nosema, American Foulbrood, European Foulbrood, Chalkbrood, Stonebrood and viral diseases
Sentinel Apiary Programme
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland initiated a Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida), Tropilaelaps Mite and Asian Hornet Sentinel Apiary Monitoring Programme on an all-island basis in 2015. The aim of the Sentinel Apiary Programme is to ensure the early detection of three exotic pests, Small Hive beetle (SHB), Tropilaelaps spp. and the Asian Hornet. To date, Small Hive beetle (SHB)and Tropilaelaps spp have not been reported in Ireland, but their potential arrival remains a serious threat. The first discovery in Ireland of a live specimen of Asian Hornet occurred on the 25th of April 2021. There is no evidence that the Asian Hornet is established in Ireland at this time, however this discovery reinforces the importance of the Sentinel Apiary Programme. The Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida) is an invasive species originating from Africa. It is well established in the USA and Australia where it has proven to be a serious pest of honey bee colonies. In September 2014, the SHB was confirmed in Europe in southwest Italy and the risk of spread into other European countries is now considerably higher. Tropilaelaps spp. though not reported in Europe to date, remains an economically important pest throughout Asia and has the potential to spread into temperate regions. Under Irish and EU legislation these two pests are listed as notifiable diseases. DAFM would like to thank beekeepers for facilitating this programme.
Honeybees, disease, foulbrood, diagnostic, bee health, pollinators, Small Hive Beetle, Asian Hornet.
Registration of Beekeepers and Purchasers and Packers of Honey
Beekeeping Schemes & Grants
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine supports Irish beekeeping through a number of initiatives including providing aid to support the activities of national beekeeping organisations and provision of grant aid for capital investments by individual beekeepers in specialised beekeeping related equipment and structures.
Import and Export of Bees
The beekeeping sector is regulated by EU and national legislation. Under this legislation, imports and exports of bees are subject to health certification at their place of origin in the exporting country and to checks at their place of destination in the importing country.
Please contact us for further information on exporting bees.
Honey Production and Labelling
Honey offered for sale to the consumer must comply with the European Communities (Marketing of Honey) Regulations 2003 (SI No. 367 of 2003). These regulations aim to ensure the honey is of acceptable quality and accurately labelled, especially in terms of origin. This Department carries out inspections to ensure compliance with these regulations and penalties are applied for infringements. Beekeepers are encouraged to register with this Department for food hygiene purposes and are issued with a unique beekeeper registration number.
Honey
Labelling
The following documents have been included solely for guidance purposes. Please note that only texts published in the Official Journal of the European Union (see https://eur-lex.europa.eu/for official European Union legal text) or Iris Oifigiúil (for official Irish text at http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/) are legally valid. For full details you should consult the legal text.
Pollinators
Pollinating insect such as bees, wasps, hoverflies, and butterflies, are vital for high quality, diversified foods and crops, farming and agriculture sustainability, and for protecting our biodiversity, landscape and regulating our natural environment. The DAFM, in conjunction with stakeholders of the farming, agricultural and horticultural sectors of Ireland, are making considerable efforts to make Ireland more pollinator friendly.
Bee & Pollinator Projects
National Apiculture Programme
The National Apiculture Programme 2023-2027 which is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the European Union is now inviting proposals from suitable research institutions for a detailed scientific programme of work based on, and to achieve the aims of the EU approved outline proposal.
Closing date: 5pm Friday 14 July 2023.
The Native Irish Honey Bee
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine both participates in and coordinates measures to Conserve Genetic Resources for food and agriculture in Ireland. This includes conservation, promotion and research into, indigenous varieties of plants and native livestock breeds. A number of organisations, both public and private, representing a large cross section of the Genetic Resources community in Ireland have benefited from funding via the Department's grant aid scheme. See link for details of projects supported in previous years through the Genetic Resources Grant Aid Scheme for the native Irish honeybee.