The group has aims that include the study, conservation, and improvement of the strains of the Dark European Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera L.) that are native to Ireland and the UK.

All aspects of breeding bees are pursued with vigour and great dedication by a membership that strives for excellence by educating it's members, and others, about the characteristics that should be present in order that the bees are docile and pleasant to handle as well as being productive honey gatherers.

Much of the breeding work takes place at the group's main breeding apiary known as 'Dun Aonghusa' The picture below is a winter scene of the silver birch trees that border the apiary, click on the picture or the link above for more information on the apiary itself.

Much of the work described on our website is based on breeding dark native strains of bee in Ireland, but the principles described can be applied to any other race or strain of bee providing that you already know the behavioural parameters for the pure bred bees of your chosen type.

Aims
The aims and objectives of the Galtee Bee Breeding Group were set out at a meeting of local beekeepers at Glengarra Wood on Monday 30th December 1991.

The groups aims include the study, conservation, and improvement of the native strains of the Dark European Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera L.)

The above is the basic 'mission statement' of the Galtee Bee Breeding Group... How do we achieve these intended ideals?

Record Keeping
[A method devised by Micheál Mac Giolla Coda for assessing the worth of a queen, with a view to propagate from her (or not) as the case may be.]

Recognition of Good Traits
[education, study and research]

Selection of Criteria
[the factors deemed to be important]

Identification of Desired Traits in Colonies
[from records and experience in handling, colony appraisals]

Establishing Racial Purity
[morphometry and DNA]

Breeding From the Best Stocks
[queen and drone production, mating apiaries]

Re-Queening Stocks with Better Queens
[introduction]

Culling the Bad
All of the positive factors above are of no use unless we consciously and ruthlessly remove the queens of colonies that display characteristics that we consider bad or less than desirable.

Future Aspirations

Originally confined to the Galtee/Vee Valley, the operation has gradually expanded so that the breeding zone has been extended westward to include the valleys of the Funchion and the Upper Blackwater between the Nagle and Ballyhoura Mountains as far as Mallow; and eastward along the Suir valley as far as the river Anner and the valley between Slievenamon and the Comeragh Mountains.

It is hoped to extend the demarcation line as far as Waterford harbour to the east, and from Mallow westward through Killarney to Killorglin and Castlemain harbour.

Any beekeeper in the area outlined is welcome to apply for membership of the group, to take part in the very worthwhile work being undertaken and to help in the programme of evaluation and selection.

Software Available For Download

The following is a list of software available free of charge from our site.
Morphometric spreadsheet
To calculate and graph cubital index and discoidal shift the spreadsheet has been adapted from a BIBBA version, but the calculation section is all Ruary's work.

Note... It is essential for graph production that the ranges are adjusted to the number of bees measured.

CBeeWing Morphometry Program plus Measuring with your scanner and CooRecorder
Using CBeeWing An Introduction to Wing Morphometry

As of March 2005 you will be charged for this software which was previously given away free. The upper button at left will take you to the web page that the programs can be purchased and downloaded from, which also gives instructions about installation. The lower button will take you to trial versions of CBeeWing+CooRecorder that are limited in function.

Some of these files have similar titles to various BIBBA files...
But they may be different versions.

Other files will be added to this collection from time to time.
Printable versions of various colony record cards.

"Tom's Table"
Originated by:- Albert Knight & Angus Stokes, This template can be freely distributed

Zipped folder of several BIBBA utilities.
These files were collated by Albert Knight when he was BIBBA Secretary