Bee imports continue to rise

[Beefriendly]

Further breakdown of those figures and the countries exporting them can be found here. Interesting information.
You can access previous years data as well.

 

[mazzamazda]

Not many nucs imported, I see mine are the only 4 listed ones from Portugal, I'd bet there are more than 4.

 

[Beefriendly]

Not many nucs imported, I see mine are the only 4 listed ones from Portugal, I'd bet there are more than 4.

I suspect so mazzamaza, those are the numbers reported to bee base. If not reported then not recorded is my reading of those figures. There is a discrepancy between the 2016 figures (in brackets) and the 2016 figures quoted in the Bee unit's paper I gave a link too, not many but not exactly the same numbers.

One thing the figures possibly suggest is there is a huge market for decent queens. Time for British Breeders to step up to the mark and fill that demand.

 

[Beefriendly]

Didn't take you long to shed your scales and revert to your default obnoxiousness did it.

I though being obnoxious and unpleasant was your jurisdiction on this forum?
Me, I just reply in kind.

 

[B+.]

One thing the figures possibly suggest is there is a huge market for decent queens. Time for British Breeders to step up to the mark and fill that demand.

As ITLD has said several times, UK queen producers can't satisfy the demand for early queens because our weather is unsuitable.

 

[Finman]

.
IT seems that Carniolan queens have imported lots.
. Quite many of those are swarmy breeds, and not very take. ... At least what have arrived to Finland.

 

[Uncle Betty]

As ITLD has said several times, UK queen producers can't satisfy the demand for early queens because our weather is unsuitable.

What would the shortfall be, if the demand for early queens were strictly from commercial operators ?

 

[Beefriendly]

As ITLD has said several times, UK queen producers can't satisfy the demand for early queens because our weather is unsuitable.

Unfortunately the data doesn't tell you the date of importation. But from the number of people who are overwintering queens in nucs...sounds like it just needs a lot more thought and preparation....and a lot more nucs!
That is assuming the demand for queens encompasses local bees and the market doesn't desire something more exotic.

 

[Beefriendly]

These are the percentage change on last year but thats not enough to establish a trend

Year Queens Colonies/ Nuclei Package Bees
2014 9984 450 1402
2015 10691 241 918
2016 14162 17 964
2017 15210 19

Assuming the formatting stays true and the numbers turn up under the right headings then I think the trends for numbers of imported queens over the last 4 years is quite clear.

 

[madasafish]

What would the shortfall be, if the demand for early queens were strictly from commercial operators ?

A large number of Scottish commercial operators had to import queens 2-3 years ago after a disastrous winter.I can't recall the exact numbers but certainly humdreds..
ITLD sends queens to Italy early spring for queen rearing and then re-imports the queens raised from them (from his Twitter feed and his posts). Edit: Northern Italy - a valley where mating can be restricted I believe.

I would guess the combined totals of commercial imports in the range 2-4,000pa.

Bickerstaffs in Liverpool have early spring imports from Greece on sale on their website - Speaking from memory several hundred a time from late April to May - I would think most customers would be small scale beekeepers..

 

[B+.]

What would the shortfall be, if the demand for early queens were strictly from commercial operators ?

I don't know.
It's impossible to say where the demand comes from

 

[Swarm]

Did anyone else see the huge moon on Sunday night?

 

[Uncle Betty]

A large number of Scottish commercial operators had to import queens 2-3 years ago after a disastrous winter.I can't recall the exact numbers but certainly humdreds..
ITLD sends queens to Italy early spring for queen rearing and then re-imports the queens raised from them (from his Twitter feed and his posts).

I would guess the combined totals of commercial imports in the range 2-4,000pa.

Bickerstaffs in Liverpool have early spring imports from Greece on sale on their website - Speaking from memory several hundred a time from late April to May - I would think most customers would be small scale beekeepers..

Interesting, thank you.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did anyone else see the huge moon on Sunday night?

Yep - should mean a good fall of woodcock on the back of that - wind direction was favourable as well.

 

[For want of a better word]

Did anyone else see the huge moon on Sunday night?

Sky was not clear here in Cornwall.... perhaps in the dark sky area of Bodmin... definitely her influence was apparent over the North East!!
The Grayling were even jumping.
Nos da

 

[foghornleghorn]

Unfortunately the data doesn't tell you the date of importation. But from the number of people who are overwintering queens in nucs...sounds like it just needs a lot more thought and preparation....and a lot more nucs!
That is assuming the demand for queens encompasses local bees and the market doesn't desire something more exotic.

I'm sure cost is a big factor, buying queens for circa €15 makes a lot more sense to some than going to the hassle of rearing their own.

 

[madasafish]

I'm sure cost is a big factor, buying queens for circa €15 makes a lot more sense to some than going to the hassle of rearing their own.

I suspect a lot lower than that in volume..

 

[Beefriendly]

I suspect a lot lower than that in volume..

Also much higher if buying breeder stock from Isolated mating sites to breed your own stock from.

 

[philipm]

Did anyone else see the huge moon on Sunday night?

Was it an import!!!!

 

[Finman]

Was it an import!!!!

No. IT was native, local.