{"id":4738,"date":"2024-08-15T15:31:50","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T14:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/?page_id=4738"},"modified":"2025-09-13T14:44:45","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T13:44:45","slug":"honey-bee-health-certificate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/?page_id=4738","title":{"rendered":"Study Group for Honey Bee Health Certificate 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To encourage beekeepers who have been awarded the BBKA Basic Certificate and have at least three years of beekeeping experience to improve their understanding and practice of beekeeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new study group for 2026 will start in January 2026. There will be a series of talks which will cover the Honey Bee Health Certificate syllabus followed by a practical work in the apiary, some theory and individual study to prepare for the assessment in the summer of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Provisional dates for the online part of the course and apiary visits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online presentations<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jan 26<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;-apiary hygiene<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Feb 23<sup>rd<\/sup>&nbsp;\u2013 brood diseases including foul brood<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">March 23<sup>rd<\/sup>&nbsp;\u2013 Adult bee diseases<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">April 20<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;\u2013 honeybee nutrition and poisoning&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apiary visits<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">April 18<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;- bee disease inspection \u2013 sampling for nosema<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">April 25<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;- bee disease inspection \u2013 awareness of current reporting of disease (foul brood, varroa) how to deal with other pests \u2013 mice, wood peckers, hornets using monitoring traps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">19\/04 - comb exchange Hove _ shook swarm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">26\/04 \u2013 Grassroots Bailey comb exchange<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a practical assessment suitable for members who wish to advance beyond their Basic Assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This assessment aims to encourage beekeepers who have achieved the BBKA Basic Certificate and have at least three years of beekeeping experience to improve their understanding of the practice of beekeeping. The candidate will normally be conducted in May, June or July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The assessment will take place&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At a suitable apiary, not at the candidate\u2019s apiary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will last about one and a half hours<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Candidates will be expected to be<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aware of current regulations and other statutory requirements as they affect pests and diseases concerned with beekeeping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And how a beekeeper should implement them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mandatory tasks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brood disease inspection. If the queen is found, she should be reserved in a safe place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The collection of a suitable sample of 30 bees for an adult bee disease inspection<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One task from the following list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shook swarm as part of varroa control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bailey comb change for a weak colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5072\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Downloads:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbka.org.uk\/Handlers\/Download.ashx?IDMF=1b4736d8-3729-408c-ab46-57fd1d045eb5\">Syllabus<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbka.org.uk\/Handlers\/Download.ashx?IDMF=2aee640c-9e0e-48fb-baae-ab4ceef64bb9\">Guidelines for Candidates<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbka.org.uk\/Handlers\/Download.ashx?IDMF=6fa772b4-ebe2-4a84-aa55-bef2bcf99eda\">Reading List<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more details of these or other training and education events please contact Jude New, on Buzz (WhatsApp) or Brighton and Lewes Division Facebook page.<br>There is usually a small charge to cover administration, catering and stationary costs for all courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am happy for the study group to meet to work on the syllabus for the planned sessions. Registration for assessment with BBKA is not compulsory - the discussion and research will benefit your practice and could extend the lives of colonies you care for (JN, Apiary managers and others to deliver)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Small fee will be charged to cover use of a venue and admin which will include zoom meetings (5 -10 applicants would be enough for the course to run) There is a registration fee payable directly to BBKA if candidates wish to be assessed. Register interest at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:newapiary@hotmail.com\">newapiary@hotmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Queen rearing 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These sessions will be open to all members of the division. New beekeepers will learn what to do when they find a queen cell in their hive and possibly pick up the skills to prevent a swarm and loosing half the colony and setting back honey production. Experienced beekeepers are welcome to come and share their queen rearing knowledge especially with reference to the rearing of locally adapted bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We will be arranging queen rearing at Hove and Grassroots apiary with Adrien at Hove and Jude in Hassocks mid-May, dates will be posted nearer the time and weather dependent. Participants who will be shown how to raise a queen cell in a nuc box, which they will provide with frames of foundation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If there are any surplus queens raised, they will be available for one of our registered beginner beekeepers, or offered to our members at below market rate, after we have taken the nucs we needed to maintain B+L colonies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contact Adrien via Hove apiary WhatsApp to book a place or contact Jude at newapiary@hotmail.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Basic Assessment 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prepare at your own pace or register interest in joining a study group with Jude at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:newapiary@hotmail.com\">newapiary@hotmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any member of Brighton and Lewes who has kept bees for at least two seasons is eligible.<br>The course aims to provide new beekeepers with a goal which will give them a measure of their achievement in the basic skills and knowledge of the craft.<br>It is hoped that it will be a springboard from which to launch into the more demanding assessments, provides a nationally recognised certificate and badge and assessed by a BBKA registered Assessor and experienced beekeeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The candidates must be a full member of the BBKA.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To pass the candidates must achieve 50%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A credit will be awarded for a total mark of 75% or greater<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A distinction will be awarded for a total mark of 90% or greater<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The course will start in the apiary at the beginning of May 2026 (weather permitting) culminating in an assessment at the apiary in mid-July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>Downloads:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbka.org.uk\/Handlers\/Download.ashx?IDMF=1b4736d8-3729-408c-ab46-57fd1d045eb5\">Syllabus<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbka.org.uk\/Handlers\/Download.ashx?IDMF=2aee640c-9e0e-48fb-baae-ab4ceef64bb9\">Guidelines for Candidates<\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbka.org.uk\/Handlers\/Download.ashx?IDMF=6fa772b4-ebe2-4a84-aa55-bef2bcf99eda\">Reading List<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To encourage beekeepers who have been awarded the BBKA Basic Certificate and have at least three years of beekeeping experience to improve their understanding and practice of beekeeping. A new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/?page_id=4738\" class=\"more-link\">...continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> \"Study Group for Honey Bee Health Certificate 2026\"<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4738","page","type-page","status-publish","h-entry","hentry","h-as-page"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4738"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5073,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4738\/revisions\/5073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightonlewesbeekeepers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}