RENOWNED beekeeper and researcher Ron Hoskins will tell how he has been helping to develop a strain of ‘super-bee’ that can protect itself from a deadly parasite that is wiping out colonies.
Mr Hoskins will deliver a lecture as a guest of a group in North Dorset. Mr Hoskins, 79, who developed an interest in beekeeping at the age of 12 after he was evacuated to live with a beekeeper in the country at the start of the Second World War, has spent 18 years researching a mite-resistant breed of honeybee.
He made the discovery after realising that one of his hives had far fewer deaths from the varroa mite than others and is now attempting to spread his mite-resistant breed of bees by cross-breeding them with queens from other hives.
The fall in bee colony numbers has led to warnings about mass starvation. Without bees, crops and plants would not be pollinated and much of what we eat wouldn’t survive, experts say. Mr Hoskins will give his talk to the Shaftesbury and Gillingham Beekeepers Association on Wednesday, October 12 at 7pm at the Coppleridge Inn, Motcombe.
For more call Tim Jackson on 07747 611190 or email tim@honeyframepackaging.co.uk
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