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There's also some interesting information on The Cornish Bee Project at at

The Cornish Bee Project

The British bee population has declined at an alarming rate over the last few years - by a third since 2007.

There's also been a massive decline in the number of bee hives in the UK - nearly 75 per cent in the past century.

Environment and rural affairs minister Lord Rooker said recently: "Bee health is at risk and, frankly, if nothing is done about it, the fact is the honeybee population could be wiped out in 10 years."

Bob Black is a local beekeeper who works with other local beekeepers to sustain the population of native black bees and who hope to help them develop and maintain their natural resistance to mites and diseases through a careful and sustainable program of breeding and management.

On the sites in West Cornwall bees will be introduced and managed that will be treated with recognised, friendly and alternative methods of mite control and disease treatment. (Largely based on self grooming and Essential oils, Thyme based remedies and plant extracts, proven to be efficacious).

The project will work closely with the Cornwall Beekeepers Association, other local beekeepers and the Cornwall Bee Improvement Programme and is developing links with University of Bradford beekeepers looking at the use of ecological, non chemical disease and mite control. The native Cornish bee is proving significant in the fight against the decline of bee populations in the UK.

The project also aims eventually to set up a workshop to offer employment opportunities to young people with learning difficulties on a small scale, producing polishes and cosmetics based on beeswax and honey. The project is a not for profit enterprise allowing moneys generated to benefit its ecological, educational, conservation and social enterprise projects.

We will soon be able to offer honey produced on sites from bees foraging the flora in the immediate area . A program of specialist honeys from our bees but from a specific program linked with Herbal remedies is starting in 2013.

For further information on the project and bee improvement in Cornwall follow our links and contact:

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