Irish Beekeepers Association CLG
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COLOSS: Honey bee colony loss/survival survey 2019/2020
 
 
Dear Secretary and fellow beekeepers
 
This short correspondence is a reminder that it is now time to complete the year’s annual COLOSS survey on winter colony losses.  To ensure that the data collected is representative of Irish beekeeping, it is pertinent that as many beekeepers as possible complete the Survey. Irrespective of the number of colonies you have, or the number of years you are beekeeping, please consider completing the Survey. It is a relatively simple survey which aims to quantify winter colony losses as well as identifying possible causes.
Since 2008, this annual COLOSS survey has been carried out as part of the National Apiculture Programme. However this year, because the 2019-2022 National Apiculture Programme is still out for tender, John Breen and I have agreed to conduct this year’s COLOSS survey in a personal capacity, thus ensuring the continuity of the monitoring programme. We obtained an extension of the University of Limerick Ethics Permission to conduct it. This means that personal information in the responses will be treated in accordance with the conditions of the Ethics permission: the data will only be accessed by John Breen and me for the purpose of the Survey, and no other purpose. Any data passed to the central COLOSS consortium will be anonymized (no names and no actual addresses). The data will be stored on a password protected and encrypted laptop owned by the University of Limerick. Because of the Covid-19 situation, neither John nor I may have access to our work addresses; hence I am using my HOME address as the return address for the paper version of the Survey.
 
The format of this year’s Survey is similar to previous years and includes 27 short questions. The survey may be completed manually by downloading the pdf file attached or online by clicking on the hyperlink: www.nationalapicultureprogramme.info  using a computer, laptop, android or iphone.
 
To ensure that beekeepers can access the survey in the easiest way possible, this hyperlink: www.nationalapicultureprogramme.info and all versions of the survey will also be forwarded to the secretary of your local beekeepers associations  for circulation to all members and will also be available on the IBA CLG  webpage.
 
Please participate as your contribution will be very much appreciated
 
Thank you
 
Regards
Mary F/ John
 
Dr Mary F Coffey
Professor John Breen
coloss_survey_2020.pdf
File Size: 222 kb
File Type: pdf
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coloss_introduction.docx
File Size: 13 kb
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letter_iba_members.docx
File Size: 74 kb
File Type: docx
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