Stamps celebrate bee association's 150th birthday

The stamps were designed by beekeeper Benedict Glazier

A new set of stamps celebrating "the life of honeybees" has been created to commemorate the British Beekeepers Association's 150th anniversary.

The Isle of Man Post Office's six-stamp collection was designed by beekeeper Benedict Glazier in conjunction with island bee inspector Harry Owens.

The set has been designed to tell "the story of the inhabitants of a beehive", including the worker bee, drone bee, and queen bee.

Association chairman Diane Drinkwater said the "beautiful stamps" gave a "glimpse into the wonderful world of beekeeping".

Wishing beekeepers on the island and throughout the rest of the British Isles a "terrific beekeeping season", she said: "Humans have been enthralled with bees for thousands of years."

The stamps feature images of the species including worker bees

A post office spokeswoman said the island was in a "unique position" following the government ban on the importationof any foreign bees.

It provided "an environment for honeybees that is unaffected by the diseases and pests present in the rest of the UK and the whole of mainland Europe", she said.

Maxine Cannon from Isle of Man Stamps and Coins said: "Our Island is free of many of the problems that affect bees in the rest of the world."

That was "due to the hard work and vigilance of Harry Owens and our Isle of Man Beekeepers Federation, and the willingness of our government to introduce rules to protect our bees", she said.

"Honeybees and our Manx beekeepers are of incredible importance to our unique ecosystem and we have much to be proud of," she added.

The collection will be launched on 12 April to coincide with the association's spring convention in Shropshire.