Many Visitors Beemaster Days

More than 20,000 people have visited this weekend, throughout the Netherlands, the National Open Beekeepers Days. During the fourth edition of the event, about 80 to 90 people per beekeeper, came to watch the bees. “Among the visitors were especially many children, who were very interested and wanted to have a lot of information,” says Frank Moens of the Dutch Beekeepers Association (NIV). “We had about the same number of visitors as last year so it was worthwhile doing the event again. Next year we will surely have the fifth edition.” People could pay a visit, on Saturday and Sunday, to about 250 apiaries across the country. Visitors could actually see what a beekeeper is doing. Participants were also given advice on how to structure their garden with flowers containing many pollen or how they can build their own bee garden. Bee mortality Bee mortality is increasing alarmingly worldwide, also in the Netherlands. A lot of investigations about the cause have been done and it has been pointed out that some newer pesticides were a major cause. These pesticides, Neonicotinoids and related compounds, have recently been banned in the European Commission. Bees play a vital role in the pollination process. Without bees many plants will not be able to bear fruits.