Amc in the UK - The evidence

[B+.]

That's a matter of opinion.

I have the utmost respect for Murray, as for the rest.........................

Do you need to be so objectionable?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you need to be so objectionable?

In some cases I feel it's my duty

 

[B+.]

In some cases I feel it's my duty

I think that's probably all we need to know about you.

 

[Beefriendly]

Welcome back again B+.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

dummy found, brushed down and washed nice and clean - until next time

 

[For want of a better word]

So what did she cost you?

The beekeeper was more than happy for me to take samples as she was interested to find out what she had purchased... £37.50 including special delivery postage.... which is cheap compared with locally produced Amm!

The lady is a friend of one of my neighbors and seemed to be getting conflicting and confusing advice on how to introduce a new queen, I suggested careful introduction to a queenless nuc, and once laying OK, merging with a full colony.Quite why she contacted me I do not know as there a a number of very competent beekeepers in that part of the county.
Bees were nice enough but swarmed in late June and the queen was lost ( beekeeper was against clipping and failed to inspect the colony weekly as she was told that new queens do not swarm !)

I do not think importing bees is a sustainable way to keep bees, however in B+ case he is actively involved in a breeding program that could one day throw some light on the genetics behind hygienic behavior.... which could be a benefit to all beekeepers.

Chons da

 

[Swarm]

I see nothing much has changed here. Why do you think people like me no longer post here? Even good news is trashed. There is nothing wrong with relaying good news, especially when it's verified independently by the largest beekeeping organisation in the country!
I wouldn't mind if your lot had the guts to accept the challenge. That, at least, would have been reasonable.

Read your opening post again and I will ask why it was you couldn't just relay your good news without a dig?
I agree with you, good news is trashed here quite often, just read any thread regarding Amm.

"People like me","your lot" Oh dear.

Roll on an import ban.

 

[For want of a better word]

I attended a lecture recently given by Norman Carrik and he referred to some recently published papers that showed that locally adapted bees* do better than imported varieties, /QUOTE]

How recently? About 2 weeks ago he said they weren't published.

B4 Conference mid February.
May have misheard as the hearing loop was not functional!
But which papers are YOU referring to?

Chons da

 

[Ian123]

The beekeeper was more than happy for me to take samples as she was interested to find out what she had purchased... £37.50 including special delivery postage.... which is cheap compared with locally produced Amm!

The lady is a friend of one of my neighbors and seemed to be getting conflicting and confusing advice on how to introduce a new queen, I suggested careful introduction to a queenless nuc, and once laying OK, merging with a full colony.Quite why she contacted me I do not know as there a a number of very competent beekeepers in that part of the county.
Bees were nice enough but swarmed in late June and the queen was lost ( beekeeper was against clipping and failed to inspect the colony weekly as she was told that new queens do not swarm !)

I do not think importing bees is a sustainable way to keep bees, however in B+ case he is actively involved in a breeding program that could one day throw some light on the genetics behind hygienic behavior.... which could be a benefit to all beekeepers.

Chons da

I would very much suggest at that price and from that location the best you would have got was an open mated f1 from a breeder queen. To be fair they are often sold as such but buyers are ignorant of the facts and simply unaware.

 

[For want of a better word]

I would very much suggest at that price and from that location the best you would have got was an open mated f1 from a breeder queen. To be fair they are often sold as such but buyers are ignorant of the facts and simply unaware.

Totally agree... the "thinking beekeeper" would not envisage importing queens, or for that matter any bees, into the UK.

The Corona Virus outbreak across the world is an object lesson on how virulent viral disease can be transmitted very quickly without proper controls in place.
Imagine what hell would be wreaked upon beekeepers and our delicate little charges, if some similar virulent killer virus was to infect the honeybee or other pollinator population.

I agree with Swarm... ban all imports NOW !!!

 

[B+.]

I would very much suggest at that price and from that location the best you would have got was an open mated f1 from a breeder queen. To be fair they are often sold as such but buyers are ignorant of the facts and simply unaware.

Buyers are ignorant of a lot of things. There is a lot of misinformation and outright lies told, particularly to newbies.
I have people come back to me time after time. They really aren't interested in the genetic make-up or what the consequences are. All they seem to be interested in is that they're reasonably docile and produce enough honey. One guy who has bought quite a few queens from me over the years says he is over the moon at not having to use his smoker. That is enough for some people - just to be able to work their bees without being chased from the apiary.

 

[For want of a better word]

Buyers are ignorant of a lot of things. There is a lot of misinformation and outright lies told, particularly to newbies.
I have people come back to me time after time. They really aren't interested in the genetic make-up or what the consequences are. All they seem to be interested in is that they're reasonably docile and produce enough honey. One guy who has bought quite a few queens from me over the years says he is over the moon at not having to use his smoker. That is enough for some people - just to be able to work their bees without being chased from the apiary.

M + C = being chased from the apiary?

Therefore I keep M

You can keep your C

QED

Chons da

 

[B+.]

Totally agree... the "thinking beekeeper" would not envisage importing queens, or for that matter any bees, into the UK.

The Corona Virus outbreak across the world is an object lesson on how virulent viral disease can be transmitted very quickly without proper controls in place.
Imagine what hell would be wreaked upon beekeepers and our delicate little charges, if some similar virulent killer virus was to infect the honeybee or other pollinator population.

I agree with Swarm... ban all imports NOW !!!

.....and there we have it...again! The "not invented here" so ban all imports syndrome! The desperate cry of an irrational argument.

If I thought for a minute that I might convince you of the rationality of "think global, act local", you'd see just how rational what I do is.
I explained earlier that queens I propagate have spent at least 2 years without treatment in Bedfordshire. How many of yours haven't been treated for 2-3 years? Do you dare leave them without treatment for even a single year?

You say it as though there weren't proper controls in place. In fact, there are more controls in place for moving bees (or any livestock) around within Europe than there are for people.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

All they seem to be interested in is that they're reasonably docile and produce enough honey.... he is over the moon at not having to use his smoker. That is enough for some people - just to be able to work their bees without being chased from the apiary.

Sounds just like my local bees that

 

[B+.]

M + C = being chased from the apiary?

Most beekeepers don't have Amm or Amc. They have nasty stinging mongrels. They are misled by the "local bee" mantra into believing that all bees are that way. They aren't.
I started this thread by trying to explain just one of the things I am doing. There are lots more projects that you'll never hear about. Why? Because all you want to do is argue instead of listen. If you listened, you might learn something. If you listened, you might see that some of what I am saying is applicable to Amm too.

c'est la vie

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m keeping an eye on you lot....... unfortunately
Tone it down please.

 

[Beefriendly]

Totally agree... the "thinking beekeeper" would not envisage importing queens, or for that matter any bees, into the UK.

This thinking beekeeper is more than happy to pay over a £100 per queen for some decent genetics and proven traits. They more than pay for themselves in the their first season with their honey yields (usually between 140 to 240 lbs/hive in my area)...and some of their daughters have to be experienced to believed.
I make my living out of selling honey...local mongrels and native Amms...not worth bothering about if you want to run an efficient operation. On the other hand if you're not interested in honey yields or efficiency ...ideal for you.

 

[Ian123]

“I agree with Swarm... ban all imports NOW !!!” ............. You can’t ban imports and quite simply they won’t.

 

[For want of a better word]

Do you need to be so objectionable?

A common trait!

Some keepers of bees seem to think that they are the only ones to have good bees and so it goes on!

Another thread draws to closure?

 

[B+.]

A common trait!

Some keepers of bees seem to think that they are the only ones to have good bees and so it goes on!

Another thread draws to closure?

Some people tell stories. Others back up what they say with facts