It's run by Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI) every year and we send in our data online or via printed form.
There is a link to it on the NIHBS site as well.
We have been discussing the native bee label since the start of the year and I think it is a really good idea as a lot of people will be attracted to the idea of supporting a native species via the purchase of local honey. NIHBS will be keeping a close watch on the use of the labels.
Like a choice to buy red squirrel honey or grey squirrel honey!
We also have the University of Galway on board via the new Ireland varroa Monitoring project and this will involve DNA microsatelite analysis of bee samples so we will have data to show who has native or near native bees. Grace McCormack, The head of the zoology department was at out last meeting in Portlaoise in August. When a colony is sampled for varroa using the shaker method, a sample of 100 bees is taken at the same time. The mite count data and the samples are then sent to Galway. I sampled ten of my own colonies and the Galtee people have already sampled about 150.
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