On Saturday 2 Aug 2025, Nottingham Trent University (TNTU) organised an open apiary for members of a local beekeeping association. The aim was to present the research into breeding resistant bees carried out as part of the Better-B project.

Guests were shown around the two UK apiaries and encouraged to take part in the project by counting varroa mites on boards and testing the aggressiveness of the bees by waving leather flags.

Participants were also given the opportunity to inspect some of the colonies that had previously shown signs of heavy varroa infestation, including bald brood, chewed capping and deformed wing virus. They were shown failing, failed and survivor colonies, as well as the automated monitoring equipment installed in one of the two apiaries.

The beekeepers were very involved in the work, spontaneously asking questions and contributing to discussions on many relevant topics. It was a great success in terms of involving local beekeepers in thinking about the Better-B project, and they all said they would definitely come back for a follow-up open day to update them on the research project.

Our next public event will take place on 23 Oct 2025 in Marchamalo, Spain and online.

Join us to learn about our novel tool for food resources, get ideas for dealing with climate change in beekeeping and complete a practical training on traps for the invasive species Vespa velutina and small hive beetle.

For more information and to register, please visit our event page; stay tuned, more details will be announced in due course.

Our next Better-B public event is just around the corner: Join us online for our upcoming Better B public event where we’ll be sharing the insights from the 2024 report of our Citizen Science Food Sharing Study. Discover what we’ve learned from this collaborative research effort and how it’s shaping our understanding of pollinator food sharing.

You’ll also get an exclusive introduction to our Varroa online tool—a novel digital resource designed to support beekeepers in monitoring and managing Varroa infestations more effectively.

The event will conclude with a panel discussion featuring our speakers, other researchers, and community members, offering diverse perspectives and sparking thought-provoking dialogue.

We look forward to seeing you there, please register online!

The Better-B CoActions team is just back from the congrés de la Société Francais de Thermique (Chambery, 3-6 June 2025). The poster provides information about the effects of the radiation properties of coatings on the temperature of a Dadant hive from their poster and see them in action.

We are pleased to share that the full agenda for our public event on 12 June is now available on its page!