BeeBase, the Good the Bad and the Ugly !

[Patrick1]

I keep seeing obscure comments regarding BeeBase, what exactly is the problem ? for me, I would promote compulsory registration having had EFB through no fault of my own donated twice by the same beekeeper moving hives and not telling my SBI when he moved them back or out of the controlled zone.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We could microchip every beekeeper to keep track of them…… oh wait a minute how many of us have had covid jabs ?

 

[ericbeaumont]

what exactly is the problem ?

What are the obscure comments?

 

[IndiBee]

I have a mate who saved up years for his dream Harley Davidson. Within 24hrs of purchase - it had been stolen from his garage. Turned out that scum with access to the HD database was selling data to a gang of bike thieves. The database was just a shopping list for the thieves.
As has been noted on this forum before Beebase has NO idea about data security. You want to add your locations to that database?
There is one fact about databases; it is not a matter of IF data will be lost, its WHEN will it be lost.

 

[Boston Bees]

I have a mate who saved up years for his dream Harley Davidson. Within 24hrs of purchase - it had been stolen from his garage. Turned out that scum with access to the HD database was selling data to a gang of bike thieves. The database was just a shopping list for the thieves.
As has been noted on this forum before Beebase has NO idea about data security. You want to add your locations to that database?
There is one fact about databases; it is not a matter of IF data will be lost, its WHEN will it be lost.

Anyone who does not put their apiary locations on Beebase is making it much harder for us to control the spread of foul brood disease in this country.

 

[Murox]

Trust ~ Maybe nothing at all is 'wrong' with beebase. A quick 'google' reveals all this on the first page:-

Back in April 2021 the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association (SBA) said
“BeeBase is the National Bee Unit website, it has therefore a heavy slant on English and Welsh beekeepers. We have started to work with the NBU colleagues on improving the content to reflect the Scottish Beekeeping community needs.” Still waiting to see or hear more about that statement.

And information elsewhere on the web today still declares
“ The unit functions on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (as part of [Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)] and the Welsh Assembly Government) It does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland. A programme of research and development underpins the National Bee Unit's work and feeds back through advice to the beekeeping industry and the policy divisions in England and Wales. It runs BeeBase, a website designed to help monitor and control the spread of serious honey bee pests and diseases.”

There does seem to be a rather fundamental problem, especially if you consider that both english and welsh beekeepers appear to have problems trusting/using it. The word 'national' doesnt seem to fit.

I do believe that national registration goes hand in hand with uptodate solid evidentialy based scientific advice and recommendations; the NBU could be an effective development tool and regulatory body.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well I make a point of letting my SBI know where all the hives are around where I live.

 

[Wilco]

I like it in principle and use it.

However, I do wonder about accuracy if records are not updated which questions its functionality. Hadn't realised there were data concerns. I'm also in favour of registration from a disease control perspective but conflicted about it in terms of governmental involvement- I see the need but really wish there wasn't such a need so it could be none of the government's business. All comes down to a balance of the world we'd like to have and the world we do have.

 

[user 20297]

I like it in principle and use it.

However, I do wonder about accuracy if records are not updated which questions its functionality. Hadn't realised there were data concerns. I'm also in favour of registration from a disease control perspective but conflicted about it in terms of governmental involvement- I see the need but really wish there wasn't such a need so it could be none of the government's business. All comes down to a balance of the world we'd like to have and the world we do have.

I am on Beebase, despite being in Scotland. Its principles are sound. We also keep a few chickens; strangely, I've never had any indication the they need to be registered.

 

[Wilco]

I am on Beebase, despite being in Scotland. It's principles are sound. We also keep a few chickens; strangely, I've never had any indication the they need to be registered.

For poultry you can have 49 without registering. 50 or more and you need a CPH number etc.. Sheep, pigs, cattle you register everything, including with a single animal even if you consider it a pet.

 

[user 20297]

For poultry you can have 49 without registering. 50 or more and you need a CPH number etc.. Sheep, pigs, cattle you register everything, including with a single animal even if you consider it a pet.

I'll count my bees later, but I think I'm over that limit; maybe that explains it.

 

[Amari]

I am on Beebase, despite being in Scotland. Its principles are sound. We also keep a few chickens; strangely, I've never had any indication the they need to be registered.

So, do you have an SBI/get inspected if there's a foulbrood scare?

 

[user 20297]

So, do you have an SBI/get inspected if there's a foulbrood scare?

I've had bees only for about eighteen months now and the nearest (recorded) outbreaks have been at least a hundred miles away. But the inspectors appear to be very mobile and I heard of one who recently dropped by, same day of being called, at an amateur apiary nearby when asked to verify a bit of sacbrood. Admittedly, the inspector was already in transit when called, but that's good service for the cost of a cup of coffee and some cake.

 

[Patrick1]

My SBI telephones to tell me as soon as a notifiable has been found in the area to arrange a date and time to inspect, verry often when I am not available, she will inspect and usually I am clear.
I would prefer a compulsory registration with a nominal fee of say £10.00 for hobbyist and £50 for professionals.
We get nothing for nothing in life, they have lost 2.7M in subs from Europe. I am seriously worried as to how they will continue for the future without contributions. We have virtually no friends at DEFRA The RH George Eustice probably doesn’t even know he has Bees on his private estate in Cornwall. In all the fuss over imports he never once made a useful public statement.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I like it in principle and use it.

Same here, but the the website is not user-friendly and the type size is way too small.

Was told that the NBU recognise those drawbacks but that the original design was standard .gov.uk layout and can't be changed; even if it was possible, it would cost a fortune they don't have.

 

[ericbeaumont]

compulsory registration

This storm has been rumbling for years and sounds attractive in principle.

Problem would be fringe beekeepers: the sort who have bees as a passing fancy wouldn't bother, and those who resent authority would go off radar.

 

[Patrick1]

Is that a good reason for the more responsible of us to want it ? maybe we should be more vocal.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

This storm has been rumbling for years and sounds attractive in principle.

Problem would be fringe beekeepers: the sort who have bees as a passing fancy wouldn't bother, and those who resent authority would go off radar.

I heard a former Bee Inspector say that the reason there is no compulsory registration is that it can't be policed. I doubted that when I heard it and still do. I think it's more a political issue. Some governments want to avoid interference in our lives where possible. So estate agents and piano teachers don't have to be registered or licensed, and instead are encouraged to adopt a Code of practice by their professional bodies.

It's not possible to effectively police many scenarios where the law is clear what should be done. But the fact that the law exists does create a level of law-abiding behaviour.

When people feel that a law is a bad law, they work to change it, meanwhile possibly doing illegal things, and sometimes feeling bad that they are put in that situation. (Oxalic acid. )

 

[Patrick1]

The difference is they have laid out legislation that requires beekeepers to interact with Bee Inspectors, it is incumbent on them to make beekeepers aware of their responsibilities and duty to other beekeepers. I don’t believe the majority of beekeepers want to act illegally its more of ignorance.
The government should not be allowed to implement laws then ignore the responsibility.

 

[echidna]

I understand that almost all apiaries should now be registered due to the change in law regarding varroa.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bee-health#varroa-mite-varroa-destructor-and-varroa-jacobsoniVarroa is now a reportable pest and since almost everyone will have it, that means almost all colonies should be reported. (If you are already signed up, I understand the default is to have your record as varroa present.)

Yes, theft of hives is a problem, but I wouldn't expect any leaks of data from beebase to have any significant effect on that. I'm happy for them to have my info so I benefit from their updates.