"Our membership has increased by around 4,000 people in the last 12 months," said Martin Smith, president of the BBKA.
"A typical course might include a couple of days' theory and 10 practical sessions spread over the season.
"In terms of cost you're looking at around £500 to get yourself started as a beekeeper. It's important too that if you're starting a colony to try and source the bees from your local area," he added.
If taking up beekeeping sounds like too much of a commitment, then there are less time-consuming options.
"It's easy for most of us to do our bit for honeybees, bumblebees and other pollinating insects by planting the sort of plants and flowers they love in our gardens or in pots on windowsills or balconies," said Springwatch presenter Kate Humble.
"To have bees visit you is like having nature's own expert team of gardeners working really hard for you as they help pollinate your vegetable patch, fruit trees, flowers - anything that depends on pollination," she added.
And it's not just the honeybee: solitary bees are 300 times better at pollinating apple blossom than honeybees and there are vegetables, like tomatoes, that are only pollinated by the bumblebee.
A bugs life
A range of other insects also play their small, but vital part, in pollinating our fruits and flowers.
If you believe what Einstein is reputed to have said, we would only survive for four years if there were no bees in the world
Kate Humble, wildlife presenter
According to the charity Buglife, 90% of wildflowers could be threatened with extinction without insects to pollinate them.
"Humans and wildlife depend for their survival on the pollination services that are provided by hoverflies, butterflies, moths and beetles as well as all the bees," said Matt Shardlow, ecologist and chief executive of Buglife, the Invertebrate Conservation Trust.
"The loss of wildflowers in the countryside has pushed many species to the brink so it's really important to plant wild type flowers and put them back into the countryside," he added.
During Bee Part Of It!, BBC Radio Manchester is focusing on the National Trust beehive at Dunham and the honeybee.
In addition, we will have 1,000 packets of free bee-friendly wildflower seeds to distribute as part of the campaign. Full details available soon - bookmark this page now.
One packet of seeds is available per household and will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Beekeeping isn't just a rural operation - bees can thrive in villages, towns and cities as long as the conditions are right.
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