Honeybees in Iceland: Challenges of beekeeping at 65°North

Saeunn Sigvaldadottir is a member of Warwick & Leamington Branch and lives in Iceland, where she does her Beekeeping.

Saeunn will explain some of the challenges in keeping bees so far north and in an environment where there is no varroa.

She will further explain how she received a substantial grant to develop an initiative aimed at making Iceland self-sufficient in beekeeping.

The project’s goal is to create sustainability in beekeeping by raising more productive queen bees through artificial insemination. Specifically, the plan is to breed Apis Mellifera Buckfast queens using the artificial insemination methods commonly used abroad. This approach will help strengthen the genetic diversity of Icelandic bees, allowing beekeepers in Iceland to become independent from unpredictable weather conditions and enabling them to start breeding earlier in the season. Along with another winterization method that has not been known in Iceland, which has worked well for her.

Link to the zoom meeting has been sent to members’ in-boxes and is also here.