South East Cornwall MP Sheryll Murray met with local beekeepers to listen to their concerns about the amount of funding available for research into ensuring the success of the Black Bee which is the one native to the South West. Many bees are imported and then mate with other types of bee diluting the genetics of the traditional local bee.
The B4 project (Bringing Back Black Bees) explains that these native bees are worthy of saving because they are thrifty, non-prolific, and long-lived and fly at lower temperatures, in light rain and drizzle and in higher winds. Native bees also have several key physiological and colony adaptations to living in fluctuating climatic conditions. They are more suited to the environment of the South West peninsula than imported or hybridised bees and many have greater disease tolerance. The native bee overwinters in a much tighter cluster than the Italian bee and uses fewer stores to maintain the cluster temperature. This means that less honey has to be left for the bees or less sugar has to be provided for them, making them an easier bee to keep as well as being more economical for the beekeeper.
Sheryll Murray said, "It was an incredibly interesting visit and I would like to thank all the beekeepers for taking the time to explain, in detail, the importance of their project. It is visits like this that I find so useful when I sit on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee where I find I can use this knowledge to get the points across which affect local producers. These bees are really worthy of saving because they are more suited to our environment of the South West peninsula."
On her visit to Newton Farm near Callington Sheryll also met with a local businessman from her home village who makes beehives. Ross Dyter from Bee Hive Supplies showed Sheryll his innovative polystyrene hive. Sheryll said, "This is a fantastic local product and I wish Ross the very best with this entrepreneurial project. This just shows what can be done locally when you have the idea."
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Contact: Sheryll Murray MP 01579 344428
Pictured: Sheryll meets the Cornish bees learning about the issues. Also pictured Sheryll with Ross Dyter, his hive and the local beekeepers.
Further info:B4 project: http://www.b4project.co.uk
Bee Hive Supplies: http://www.beehivesupplies.co.uk