Honey bee health: guidance

Health Strategy

The Scottish Government Honey Bee Health Team have been working in partnership with the Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP) to create Scotland’s second 10-year Honey Bee Health Strategy 2022-2032.

The main aim of the new strategy is “Working in partnership to achieve a healthy and sustainable population of honey bees in Scotland”.   

We have split the strategy into two separate documents: an overarching strategy and an implementation plan. The following five pillars outline the ways of working on which we will base our actions over the next 10 years:

1. Education, Training and Knowledge Transfer
2. Communication and partnership working across government, operational partners, stakeholders and all of those with an interest in honey bees in Scotland
3. Pest and Disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and control
4. Research and Development.
5. On-going review of the regulatory framework

The Implementation Plan will be a ‘living’ document detailing the specific actions which the BHIP will deliver in order to achieve the desired outcomes for honey bee health in Scotland. The Plan will be updated regularly following quarterly BHIP meetings and published on the Scottish Government website.   

Background information and previous publications:

• Scotland’s first 10 year Honey Bee Health Strategy (Published June 2010)
• Review of the first 10 year strategy (Published October 2021)
• Honey Bee Heath Strategy Survey Report 2022 (Published March 2022)

If you have any questions please get in touch with us at: Bees_mailbox@gov.scot