More than 10,000 beekeepers, a record number, updated their details on BeeBase during this year’s hive count. There are currently more than 44,000 beekeepers registered on BeeBase, meaning that around 23% participated.
This year’s hive count produced a figure of 260,268 colonies in the UK. This is slightly lower than the 2019 figure of 263,896. It is necessary to make a number of assumptions in the calculation, and so the figure is classed as an experimental statistic.
The Hive Count provides a very useful indication of the number of managed colonies in the UK, and helps to ensure that BeeBase records are kept up to date. Information about numbers and location of hives is very important for National Bee Unit inspectors in terms of preparing and planning for outbreaks of disease and exotic pests.
Thank you very much to everyone who has taken time to ensure that their BeeBase information is up to date.
