BBKA row with government

[Norton]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/7111612/Row-threatens-plan-to-save-bees.html

 

[grizzly]

Toys out of Pram !!

 

[roche]

Tim lovetts ego trip...

 

[Finman]

.
Around 80 per cent of British plant species rely upon insects to transfer pollen between flowers to produce seeds and fruits, with the majority of the work being done by bees.

'********************

what about self pollintion, wind pollination, and all kinds of bud pollinations.

Many of trees are wind pollinated. All hays.

 

[BKF Admin]

We have around 10% of uk Beekeepers as members on the forum and that numbers growing.
Does anyone fancy joining the working party to represent us as they have a few empty seats..

 

[oliver90owner]

80 per cent of British plant species

Finman, that may be so but some somehow get the idea that it is 80% of plants!

May not be quite quite the case, as you point out, of course. Back to 'Lies, damn lies and statistics'. One little word can change the context completely. Politicians (some say the scum of the earth) do it all the time.

If you are quoting this 'politician' the use of the word 'bees' is also of similar ilk. Note he did not say honey bees, just bees. Subtle difference there, too.

Good ennit? When you actually carefully dissect what they really say. Often it is so contradictary as to say precisely nothing!

Regards, RAB

 

[RoofTops]

This comment is interesting:

He said: "About 90 per cent of our crop pollination is done by wild bees while only 10 per cent is done by honeybees.

"It is important that the Government doesn't concentrate too much on honeybees. Investing all our time in that will not save us if we don't pay attention to the other 250 species of bees we have got here in this country.

"Even if we manage our honeybees perfectly we will still have a massive shortfall."

I can't find any fault with that argument, although it may not be what some beekeepers want to hear - and particularly not the BBKA.

 

[hedgerow pete]

I am up for doing the dirty work of sitting in a warm office talking dribble for hours on end, now about mu exspense forms where are they!!!!!!!!!

 

[grizzly]

This comment is interesting:

He said: "About 90 per cent of our crop pollination is done by wild bees while only 10 per cent is done by honeybees.

"It is important that the Government doesn't concentrate too much on honeybees. Investing all our time in that will not save us if we don't pay attention to the other 250 species of bees we have got here in this country.

"Even if we manage our honeybees perfectly we will still have a massive shortfall."

I can't find any fault with that argument, although it may not be what some beekeepers want to hear - and particularly not the BBKA.

I think it is exactly that, it draws attention away from the BBKA and Beekeeping, i love Honey Bees and Beekeeping with a passion, but i am not stupid or selfish enough to think that all the other species dont need help too.

Every time the BBKA puts its foot in its mouth i end up having to explain to colleagues and friends that not all Beekeepers think like that. They do NOT represent us ALL.

 

[Chris B]

In 2008 an orchard I use had no honeybee colonies in place. It produced 3 tons of fruit.
In 2009 I had 20 colonies in place in the same orchard. They harvested over 20 tons of fruit, and left more on the trees as they physically couldn't pick it all in time.
I'm inclined to believe in 2008 this orchard may have had 90% of it's pollination by wild bees. Not so for 2009.

 

[gavin]

Certainly here in spring 2009 the populations of bumble bees were particularly high, so the effect might not only be due to your honeybees (don't tell my orchard-owning landlady though!)

G.