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.
Better-B has received funding from the European Union, the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government's Horizon Europe funding guarantee (grant number 10068544).
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, European Research Executive Agency (REA), SERI or UKRI. Neither the European Union nor the granting authorities can be held responsible for them.
