IoS Update July 2025

The Isles of Scilly bee conservation project continues to make excellent progress, as reported by Jilly at our recent B4 meeting. All RNA samples have now been collected and sent to Edinburgh for analysis, with DNA sampling now underway as the next phase of the project.

Norman and Jilly recently submitted reports covering the first two segments of the project. These reports established the groundwork by identifying potential threats to the bee population and outlining mitigation strategies. They also addressed the important relationship between honeybees and other pollinators on the islands, explaining why monitoring honeybee colonies is essential for conservation efforts.

The project has revealed there are likely more free-living colonies than previously thought, emphasizing the importance of disease monitoring through the current sampling program. This sampling will also update the genetic study conducted three years ago. Additional project elements include setting up sentinel hives and providing information to the port authority regarding Asian hornet risks.

Community engagement has been outstanding, with Jilly conducting bee tours for visitors and raising awareness about bee conservation. At the recent Tresco village fete, a generous donation from locals provided an impressive raffle prize - four London theater tickets and three nights in a South Kensington Mews House - which has already raised £800 for the project, supporting the community, school, church and conservation efforts.

The local community has embraced bee protection enthusiastically commitment to avoiding bee imports. A potential future initiative includes documenting the sampling process on film, capturing the community involvement which Jilly describes as "magical" with "people in bee suits and hitching rides."

Looking ahead, Jilly is meeting with the Wildlife Trust's Community Research Program to explore funding for research on how exotic species impact local pollinators and forage patterns.

The project continues to gather momentum through strong community support and collaborative partnerships, demonstrating the power of local conservation initiatives.

All donations welcome.