For more information about SOUTHEND BEEKEEPERS   
or to become a member, please contact us at
membershipsecretary.SDBKA@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE
Pesticide emergency authorisation denied for 2025 to protect bees
An emergency authorisation for Cruiser SB, a neonicotinoid pesticide, will not be granted

Welcome to the Southend & District Beekeepers website.

Created in 1880, we are one of the 8 Divisions that make up The Essex Beekeepers Association. We cover a large area of south Essex, bordering the Thames Estuary from Shoeburyness and Wakering, through Basildon to Tilbury and along the River Crouch (Canewdon, Fambridge & Battlesbridge) across to Rayleigh and Wickford.

We support a strong membership of over 150 beekeepers covering all levels of expertise and experience. We are a friendly and enthusiastic group of hobbyist beekeepers and welcome new members and interested visitors to our monthly meetings.

The objective of the Division is to promote and further the craft of beekeeping. Further, the Division endeavours to encourage people to nurture an interest in beekeeping and bees, provide training to its members, encourage the exploration of differing beekeeping practices and techniques and engage in compatible wider community projects.

At SDBK, the committee aims to provide our members with an interesting and educational programme of monthly events throughout the year.

We also run a dedicated Beginners Course to encourage and teach would be beekeepers the necessary skills for their first year of beekeeping.

On this website you will find information on future events, monthly meetings, details regarding  honeybee swarms, and links to various related sites as well as general beekeeping information.

If you have any general enquiries or wish to learn more on beekeeping please contact us.

Contact emails for our committee can be found  here

Southend Divisional Privacy notice for members

ASIAN HORNET ALERT

The National Bee Unit found and destroyed 2 nests
in the Southend-on-Sea area in 2024
In 2025, more than 130 nests in have been found in the UK, primarily in the Kent area.

Please use the Asian Hornet – UK Sightings 2025 link in the left hand column for all 2025 updates

For further information please contact :
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-apha or call 0300 3030094

Download the Asian Hornet Watch app and see the BBKA and NBU links on this page

There is a high risk of Asian Hornets establishing in the UK. If you think you have seen one of these, mainly velvety black/dark brown, insects with yellow lower legs, please take a photo if it’s safe and Contact Us or call 07565 184014 and leave a message so that we can call you back.

Please see the images below and, with autumn leaf fall, look out for Asian Hornet nests, possibly high in trees.

For extra identification and similar looking insects click HERE

Southend & District Beekeepers
The Essex Beekeepers Association
Registered Charity Number 1031419