Bee keeping in Brittany

[Rose of Jericho]

There is a new group of Beekeepers in Brittany

http://www.beekeepersinbrittany.com/

 

[hedgerow pete]

excellant the hedgerow tour has now going european.

what sort of hives and bees do you guys have??

 

[BKF Admin]

Only one link on the website,going to the BBKA!!

Can we have a reciprocal please...

 

[hedgerow pete]

the splitters, burn the bee hives and steal thier sequins, lol

 

[johncorne]

We are thinging of a holiday there this summer - we shall watch out for the beeks!

Jc

 

[Rose of Jericho]

Here in Brittany the standard hive is the Dadant usually 10 frames in the Brood and 9 in a super. A 12 frame brood is available but we have not come accross anyone who uses a 12 frame. I suspect it would become a bit heavy to manage. The native bee is the Breton Black bee but in the wild they are an endangered species as they have become somewhat bastardised by other emigrants from the rest of Europe. I believe there is an island off the west coast of Brittany where the bee remains pure. Ours certainly can have pretty black moods at times!

When we bought our first hive and swarm last July our biggest problem was finding a local French group or individual who would help us. We spoke to several people and left multiple messages without sucess. There was a course being run but that was over an hour away and in French and I did not consider my French good enough to benefit from the course. We muddled through last summer with a little advice from the beekeeper who supplied our swarm but he had many of his hives in another region of France and was often away.

Last Autumn whilst taking our cat to the vets and getting Varoa treatment our local vet told us about an Englishman who kept bees. This was Steve Banks who has kept bees for 15 years and he had met several other English residents who were interested but had been put off by the same difficulties we had discovered hence he has set of the website. He has also had an article in the "Central Brittany Journal" last month and I believe there will be a follow up this month.

I have come accross other French subscribers to this forum and hope they will lend some support to the group if they are in Brittany. We at least can lookforward to this summer with a couple of fellow beekeepers within 10 miles who have the experience who are prepared to help us in our hours of need. Our confidence and enthusiasm has been bolstered to the extent that I have jusy completed making a second hive and have most of the bits for a third. Without out the group if our swarm had been lost I think we would not have continued.

I will contact Steve and ask if he can add a link to the forum.

 

[peterbees]

Do you have any Asian hornets there yet?

 

[hedgerow pete]

stupid question from an *****.

Do you get any form of crop off grape flowers??

 

[Rose of Jericho]

I am not aware of Asian Hornets here. We have problems with wasps nests in the garden and the suit has been useful in attacking those.

As for a honey crop from grape flowers its a nice thought, Miele au Burgundy. In Brittany its not a grape area. Cider me boys and Crepes.

Peter

 

[MJBee]

HP - nothing from grapes - for the bees I mean - lots of vino collapso though.

R of J - keep your eyes open for the Asian Hornet - they have been found in Paris so it is just a matter of time before they reach your area. Don't panic though my experience of them is that they are not as bad as their reputation.

Good luck with your group - a bit far for me to attend Mike

 

[Rose of Jericho]

There is now a link on http://www.********************.com/
to the forum

 

[Jim Lavie]

What is the website called please as www. multiple asterisks .com is all I get.

 

[RoofTops]

Google can find most things. Just try "Beekeepers in Brittany". It was the
sixth and seventh link down when I just tried now.

It looks an attractive site as well.

 

[Jim Lavie]

Thanks for that.
regards Jim