15 - 16 June 2024 | Madrid, Spain

The Symposium draws international attention to the welfare status of honeybee production and the impact of health in the animals and environment. The conference was organized by AVESPA with Apimondia at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

The Bee Health Symposium, held in Madrid on 15 and 16 June 2024, proved to be a resounding success. The event, expertly organized by the Asociación de Veterinarios Especialistas en Sanidad y Producción Apícola (AVESPA) and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, brought together leading experts on bee health from Spain and beyond.

The symposium featured a diverse range of speakers, including veterinarians and other specialists from over two countries. These experts delved into the critical issues and challenges facing bee health today. The programme offered a comprehensive exploration of bee health, encompassing diverse topics such as:

• Bee welfare and disease prevention
• Genetic improvement of honeybee populations
• Monitoring environmental quality and the impact of pesticides
• Veterinarian roles in bee health management
• Beekeeping education
• The threat of invasive species

The symposium included two plenary sessions with seven presentations, 25 additional oral presentations, and approximately 20 poster presentations. This comprehensive format provided a rich and insightful experience for attendees.

The organizers, particularly AVESPA President Mª Dolores Sánchez Escudero, Symposium President Aránzazu Meana Mañes, and APIMONDIA President Jeff Pettis, were commended for their dedication to fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration. In their closing remarks, they emphasized the importance of such symposia – not only in bridging the gap between science and practice but also in making knowledge readily available to local scientists, students, and beekeepers.

Programme