The fall and rise of beekeeping

What has happened? Beekeeping has become trendy!

In Britain World War II and its aftermath saw a huge surge in beekeeping. rationing was the cause — or rather the government’s granting of extra rations of sugar to beekeepers because honey (and presumably pollination) was regarded as such an important foodstuff. rationing ended in 1954 and there began a dramatic fall in the number of beekeepers in the UK.

The 1970s saw something of an upturn as interest in self-sufficiency grew, but when the varroa mite arrived in the early 1990s, many, especially older beekeepers found the mite and the need to radically change management techniques too much of a challenge.

Again lobbying of government by the BBKA played a large part in raising the profile of honeybees in government, with the media and amongst the general public.

Beekeeping is on the rise again! There’s even a designer urban hive allegedly in the works.

Turlough, Vita’s Guest Beekeeper Blogger