Prof Veldtman at the SABIO conference, BEECON 2025
Prof Ruan Veldtman, Senior Scientist in Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring at the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and Extraordinary Associate Professor in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at Stellenbosch University, works in applied biodiversity research with a focus on ecological entomology. His research explores the entomological dimensions of ecosystem services and the effects of biological invasions.
In early June 2025, Prof Veldtman delivered three presentations at the South African Bee Industry Organisation (SABIO) conference, BEECON 2025.
His first talk, ‘Future Managed Honeybee Pollination Demand in South Africa and the Importance of Crop Pollination Census Data,’ addressed the critical need for accurate data on the number of managed honeybee colonies used in crop pollination. He highlighted the lack of reliable figures on colony numbers and pollination units provided by beekeepers, and proposed that growers of pollination-dependent crops should be required to declare hive rentals. Such census data, he argued, would enable more accurate economic valuations and support the long-term sustainability of the beekeeping industry.
The second presentation was a condensed version of his recent NITheCS colloquium talk, titled ‘Harnessing Social Media to Fight Insect Invasions: Social Wasps as a Case Study.’ Prof Veldtman emphasised the critical role of effective biosecurity and showcased how social media can mobilise citizen scientists in detecting and reporting invasive insect species.
His final talk, ‘Monitoring the Status of Apis mellifera in South Africa: NBA 2025 and the Bee Research Hub,’ focused on the upcoming National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA), which will, for the first time, include an assessment of the African honeybee. He discussed the indirect services honeybees provide through beekeeping and their essential role in pollination-dependent agriculture. He also introduced the concept of a Bee Research Hub – a proposed collaborative platform for consolidating research relevant to the beekeeping sector.
All three talks were well received. Prof Veldtman noted that John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, acknowledged the government’s recognition of the beekeeping industry’s vital role in supporting South Africa’s agricultural sector.