When people decide to keep bees, they need to source bee suits and all the other beekeeping equipment necessary to allow them to engage in the activity successfully and safely.
More individuals may be encouraged to take up this hobby thanks to a new campaign. Launched by the Co-operative, it is designed to connect beekeepers with the land. According to the firm, there has been a surge in urban beekeeping over recent years, but many would-be keepers have nowhere to locate hives.
Meanwhile, there are many gardeners and allotment holders who would like to have bees on their land but do not want to engage in the keeping side of this.
With this in mind, the company has developed a Hive Talking website, which is designed to connect these two groups of people. The site allows them to register their location on an interactive map.
The Co-operative’s Plan Bee campaign has committed over £1m to highlight the plight of the British honeybee population, which experts believe has shrunk considerably. For example, it is estimated that the population of bees in England declined by half between 1985 and 2005.
Sustainable development manager at the business Chris Shearlock said: “More and more city dwellers are taking up beekeeping but not everyone has the space to keep bees. On the other hand, many have the land but don’t want to be beekeepers. By bring these parties together, Hive Talking could help reverse honeybee decline in the UK.”
Once individuals have found an area to keep their hives in, they often head online to source the relevant bee suits and other beekeeping equipment they require to get their new hobby going. Buying the items online can make their lives easier and it also allows them to benefit from impressive value for money, helping to keep the costs associated with the activity down.