Native honey bees and their role in honey production has become a hot topic for Welsh beekeepers – with more than 100 gathering in Machynlleth today (Thursday) for a special conference to highlight the fortunes of local honey bees.
The aim of the free event, which was held at the Centre for Alternative Technology, was to look at benefits of using native and near native Welsh bees and the impact on honey production.
Hosted by Cywain Bee; an initiative launched two years ago to support Welsh beekeepers and increase honey production and marketing in Wales, the conference attracted beekeepers from across Wales.
The event featured presentations from a number of UK experts in bee keeping as well as from the Welsh Government and Bangor University, with speakers covering a wide range of topics relating to native bees – from hands-on advice to news about technical advances.