A wee bit of controversy

[Poggle]

I have been having a chat outside with some neighbours. One mentioned me doing bee keeping to whcih another got on his high horse over the reason why so many bees are dying in the hives from starvation. Basically "all" of us are "murdering" the bees due to us taking far too much honey away from them and not leaving enough and or not feeding them enough. He got rather heated about it as well!! I assured him that not "all" bee keepers did this and anyway, as we and the bees work with nature, who is fickle at the best of times, hive starvation may not be "all" our fault. Any takers on this as I know fine well I am going to be collered by him again soon and I want some ammo to use in the "debate" that will ensue.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Couple of things:

1) Not sure what is driving his rage, but i suspect you and he have common ground in concern for bees in particular and the fate of nature in general. Get him on board by inviting him to look at your hives and what you do to feed them.

2) To satisfy the pedants on the forum, who love a good bit of internecine strife, you need to clarify whether you are talking about a contrOversy or a cOntraVERsy.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Tell him he's talking out of his ass.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

No, Hivemaker - that's my prerogative - as the photo clearly shows.

 

[The Cumbrian]

For me it is simple. No "farmer" deliberately wants their stock to die. It doesn't make sense to have the set back and cost replacement of a colony not coming through the winter if you can avoid it.

If you deliberately set out to starve the colony which is basically what he was suggesting why would you pay good money for the equipment and colony in the first place.

You could use the analogy of milk. The farmer takes the milk away from the calf but ensures that they are fed a replacement. All a bee keeper is doing is a similar thing taking the honey and giving a replacement.

 

[Poggle]

2) To satisfy the pedants on the forum, who love a good bit of internecine strife, you need to clarify whether you are talking about a contrOversy or a cOntraVERsy.

yes........................ blink...blink....I am Scottish, does that help

 

[Poggle]

For me it is simple. No "farmer" deliberately wants their stock to die.
You could use the analogy of milk. The farmer takes the milk away from the calf but ensures that they are fed a replacement. All a bee keeper is doing is a similar thing taking the honey and giving a replacement.

Thank you. I will use this anology next time. I did not want to get into a "debate" with him over hive starvation.

 

[Chris Luck]

I'd have to say that to claim that it's all bee keepers is stretching things a bit.

Chris

 

[Poggle]

I'd have to say that to claim that it's all bee keepers is stretching things a bit.

Chris

This is what I said to him. I can only assume this is a "soap box" thing for him and I happened to be in the firing line.

 

[mexbigshow]

clearly a man whom has no clue about the subject, like pub talk when everyone seems to become scholars, does he not realise that every beek is different and if some beeks didn't feed their bees they would die, quiz him on his resaerch into the matter ask him how long he as kept bees and what courses he's been on i bet his answer will be "well on't telly last night" or such like

 

[Gardenbees]

I'd have to say that to claim that it's all bee keepers is stretching things a bit.

Chris

It certainly is: the few beekeepers I know of who took too much honey and lost a colony as a result did it from inexperience and took great pains never to repeat the incident. It's distressing and depressing to lose a colony like that.

In my experience people tend to err too much in the opposite direction: I suspect "hobby" bees are more likely to be over-fed!

 

[psafloyd]

2) To satisfy the pedants on the forum, who love a good bit of internecine strife, you need to clarify whether you are talking about a contrOversy or a cOntraVERsy.

Ah, you got me, Dusty.

 

[itma]

My suspicion is that he may have somewhere learned that bee numbers reduce during the winter, and has put two and three together to make 32.

If he's a neighbour, you should try not to offend him unnecessarily.

Perhaps you could find a spare suit for him and get him to actually see what he is talking about. Feeling the weight of honey in just one of the frames in a hive ought to shut him up about starvation.
If he's not interested in seeing for himself, invite a mate of his and shame the loudmouth.

 

[Poggle]

I am just going to treat him in the same way as I treat anti fishing and anti shooting and anti hunting and even the two anti astronomy people I met one time, with the same patient grin and an offer of seeing for themselfs then, do what I can to avoid him till he goes of on his next wild goose chase. I got some info on him tonight. He hates everything he either doesn't do or dislikes or cann't/won't do/doesn't understand. And has a thing about blasting of for a few hours on a subject then forgetting about it. Another muppet I fear.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I'd be willing to bet that the large influx of new beekeepers has lead to an increase in the number of colony losses due to winter starvation.
I lost my first colony due to starvation because I hadn't properly comprehended the amount of feeding needed. It is a mistake I will not make again.

 

[jakethedog]

I'd be willing to bet that the large influx of new beekeepers has lead to an increase in the number of colony losses

a good point. I wonder how many of those colonies would have existed if it wasn't for the new beekeepers? some may have been purchased as established colonies but there appear to be a lot of people supplying new nucs to the ever growing market too.

 

[Dewin Dwl]

I'll show him my sugar bill at the end of November if he wants. He'll buy shares in Lidl!!

 

[Poggle]

I'll show him my sugar bill at the end of November if he wants. He'll buy shares in Lidl!!

I use Makro

 

[johnmcc]

Saloon Bar experts, eh? Ask if he knows the difference between a worker bee, a wasp, and a hoverfly.

 

[Rosti]

All very interesting, suggest next time you meet you explain to him that "when you want his opinion you'll tell him what it is". Works for my wife when we discuss decorating!