Welcome to the County Louth Beekeepers Association (LBKA) websiteOriginally founded in the summer of 1910, our association works on behalf of member beekeepers, providing opportunities to learn the craft and science of beekeeping. Equally important, we provide a social outlet for members to meet with fellow beekeepers - opportunities to share tips and tales. We are blessed to have many excellent beekeepers who are always willing to share their knowledge and experiences.
Our association is committed to supporting the native dark bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. We are affiliated to our national body, the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations (FIBKA). We provide our members with classes and support to attain FIBKA academic and practical certifications. Read more about us here. Annual General Meeting RerunWe tried to hold our AGM on 20th November, but have run into a constitutional problem. It turns out that the quorum for an AGM is a quarter of the membership, i.e. 41 members, but there were only 33 in attendance. This means that no decision taken at the meeting is valid. As a result, it is proposed to rerun the AGM (as an AGM or EGM) on 27th December at 11:00 AM in the Apiary.
The secretary will send out updated documents before the event. Asian HornetA number of Asian Hornets (a.k.a. Yellow-Legged Hornet) have been trapped in Cork. Also, a single Asian Hornet has been photographed in Dublin. So far, no nest has been located but the authorities are in the process of tracking down the hornet's home.
Above is an Asian Hornet at a bait station near City Hall in Cork city. This should help you to identify the hornet. Note the yellow lower legs, as well as the yellowish stripe at the end of the abdomen. Not shown here is its orange face with large eyes.
For more information on the Asian Hornet, see here, and for information on traps, see here. There are a number of different insects in Ireland which are sometimes thought to be the Asian Hornet, in particular the Giant Woodwasp (a.k.a. the Greater Horntail), so please make sure you are familiar with the characteristics of this invader. If you think you have seen an Asian Hornet, report it to Biodiversity Ireland's invasive species page. It's better to report something that turns out to be innocuous rather than miss the chance of reporting a real threat. Hornet trapsIf you have an Asian Hornet trap consider registering it at asianhornets.ie - the location is anonymised on the map to protect your privacy/security so please mark it in the correct location.
Education - IntermediatesOur usual study group leading to the FIBKA intermediate exam started on 4th November, repeating on Tuesday evenings - it's not too late to sigh up! See the shop for details.
There appears to be some confusion about prerequisites. However, it's quite simple: you can take the FIBKA written exams at any time, but you have to pass the apiary exam for each level before you are granted the certificate for that level. Education - BeginnersOur beginners' course will start in the new year. Watch this space for details!
Gift CertificatesWe're offering gift certificates for sale in the shop for annual membership (individual & family), so if you know someone who might appreciate an unusual present, this might just be for them!
We also have gift certificates for the beginners course. 
We have completely renovated what was a semi-derelict building on the M1 apiary site, and cleared and levelled much of the surrounding ground. It was recently painted, and now has functioning ladies' & gents' toilets too, and has even had heating added in the form of a wood-burning stove. The roof has been repaired and it's a wonderful location for lectures (like the one above), although with the lack of electricity for lighting, that will probably be reserved for the summer.
Looking after your bees |
What's HappeningLecture: "Bee our Guest - Turning your Garden into a Pollinator Paradise"
When: Thursday 27 November 2025, 19:30 Where: Teagasc, Dundalk Our Winter Lecture Series continues with a presentation from Declan de Freitas entitled "Bee our Guest - Turning your Garden into a Pollinator Paradise" where Declan will include updates from data collected in 2025. This will be held in Teagasc and begin at 7:30pm. Help needed When: Saturday, 6 December 2025 from 11:00 Where: M1 Apiary Come along to the M1 Apiary to help get the clubhouse party-ready. Bring any decorations you may have to spare. Many hands make light work. And we should have mince pies for our tea/coffee and chats as we go, in addition to our usual fare! All contributions welcome. Christmas party When: 10 December 2025, 19:30 Where: M1 Apiary We will be hosting our annual Christmas Party at the M1 Apiary, starting at 7:30pm Annual General Meeting When: Saturday 27 December 2025 11:00 Where: Kevin Griffin Apiary (a.k.a. M1 Apiary), Dundalk Our AGM will take place in the club house, starting at 11am. The Agenda and Minutes will shortly be circulated to the members. Membership FeesWe've all been victims of the increase in the cost of living the past couple of years. Unfortunately, LBKA also has experienced increased costs for expenses. Because of this, we expect to have to increase membership fees by €20 in 2026. This will push membership from €80 to €100 before 1st January and €120 after 1st January. The failed AGM will be rerun on 27th December, when we will again address this question.
Remember that you get liability insurance, 12 copies of An Beachaire, online copies of BBKA News, access to the association apiary and the learning opportunities there, as well as the monthly lectures, so it's a real bargain. All new members must complete the FIBKA membership form. Note: The service provider of our online shop charges €5 so the prices are slightly higher. However, the normal prices apply if paying by direct debit or personally. Note: Please make sure the secretary has your address, including your Eircode! PaymentsIf paying by direct debit, please put your name and ONLY your name on the payment. Don't be the person who puts "MEMBERSHIP" or "SUBSCRIPTION" which makes it impossible for us to guess who has paid!
There are a number of ways to pay:
A number of our members attended the NIHBS AGM in Athlone, and three are pictured here - L-R: Paul Boyle, Frankie de Dobbelaere, Michael Palmer, Roger Patterson and Brendan Murray
Our ApiariesWe have five apiaries: one is located outside Newry and our training, queen-rearing and mating apiaries are located near the M1 roundabout at Junction 16, where members can come and gain practical experience through the beekeeping year. We also have another smaller apiary, which is used for breeding bees.
Bee HealthFor a change, here's some information on something that's FREE! The Department of Agriculture's Honey bee Health Surveillance Programme provides disease testing for bees for free. If you send samples of bees and/or comb, they can test for Foulbrood, Nosema and more, and all it'll cost you is the price of a stamp. A surprisingly small number of beekeepers avail of this service - the department would like far more samples since this also gives them an idea of what diseases are present in Ireland. The recommendation is to send in samples from all your hives twice a year, and especially whenever you suspect there may be something wrong.
Send your samples along with this form to the address on the form. About eventsEvents usually start at 8pm in Teagasc, Dundalk (see map). Beginners are welcome and admission is free. See the map below if you need help finding us.
About this websiteThis website is a work in progress, if members have interesting articles, stories, pictures, videos etc. that they'd like to submit for inclusion, please get in touch. We would be delighted to publish a blog post from anyone who has something to say. If you would like to share something but you're unsure about any aspect, we'll be delighted to help where we can. You can contact us at: [email protected], or through the contact form.
The contents of this website by Louth Beekeepers' Association is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 |
