Beekeeping forum split?

[alancooper]

There is so much posting activity from members in the (usually) hot dry south this Spring, that much of the posting I scan seems not directly relevant to mild wet north members (interesting yes, but directly relevant no). What about a separate section?

 

[Sutty]

There is so much posting activity from members in the (usually) hot dry south this Spring, that much of the posting I scan seems not directly relevant to mild wet north members (interesting yes, but directly relevant no). What about a separate section?

Separate section for the north or south?
As we have members from all over the world I'd leave it as it is - I count the posts from the south as an "early warning system"

 

[Wilco]

What hot dry South? It's distinctly tepid and damp here at present!

 

[Murox]

Not for me. I like to hear and think about beekeeping in different locations.

 

[Sutty]

What hot dry South? It's distinctly tepid and damp here at present!

Ahh, but your tepid is our warm

 

[pargyle]

I rather think that much of our beekeeping follows the same patterns - there are variations that are climate dependent but to provide an insight - down here in the Costa del Fareham we have a very mild micro climate - a couple of weeks ago there was snow less than 50 miles to the West of us in Somerset and all we had was a cloudy rainy day. A straight division North and South of the UK does not even begin to tell the whole story.

Yes, there are extremes of climate between the far North of the UK and the far South - there are even more extremes between the UK and FInland and the UK and Australia (in parts) but the beekeeping (with a few exceptions, such as the onward tramp of invasive species of parasites) is much the same - just that the seasons are either prolonged or condensed by the vagaries of the local climate.

To try and compartmentalise the forum in enough sections to accommodate all climate and regional differences would not work - indeed, part of the interest (IMO) in the forum is the input from beekeepers in different areas and how that relates to my beekeeping.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What about a separate section?

Maybe even county by county?
As Philip says. North south doesn’t cut it. Today the west has had gales and rain while parts of the east have basked in 22degree sunshine.

 

[Erichalfbee]

, part of the interest (IMO) in the forum is the input from beekeepers in different areas and how that relates to my beekeeping.

Exactly why we like members to include their location in their profile.

 

[madasafish]

But it's nice to see how the other half live! I mean bee farm..

 

[Gilberdyke John]

There is so much posting activity from members in the (usually) hot dry south this Spring, that much of the posting I scan seems not directly relevant to mild wet north members (interesting yes, but directly relevant no). What about a separate section?

Volume of posting does not equal value of posting. In my personal opinion such a split would obstruct/not provide members with the insight of situations countrywide (worldwide even) that we enjoy here under present arrangements. Reading the forum using the new post option brings up ALL the accessible groups anyway. There are other forums and facebook groups for people who are only interested in their own locality (I read a couple of nearby BKAs FB groups but I estimate 90% of that traffic relates to matters already discussed and answered here, if only those posters formed part of our number). I confess to posting links to pages from here in answer to some of the questions in the FB groups when problems are discussed which have been thoroughly discussed at length in the forum. I get the occasional comment about reluctance to "sign up" to the (free) forum but that's human nature I guess.
Don't fix what isn't busted.

 

[alancooper]

just stirring a hornet’s nest. I would have responded similarly. From a different perspective, maybe a topic on what beeks are doing to cope with climate trends and extreme weather events?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don’t think we need a climate change section. What did you do in the apiary seems good enough. There’s no need to make every post standalone. You can change it to a discussion easily enough.
OR you can simply start a new thread. There are lots of threads that have been running for years, one in particular, giving the OP forum immortality after death

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just stirring a hornet’s nest

don't please - we'll only have some clown slathering themselves in fipronil and putting out jam jar traps everywhere

 

[pargyle]

just stirring a hornet’s nest. I would have responded similarly. From a different perspective, maybe a topic on what beeks are doing to cope with climate trends and extreme weather events?

There's serious concerns about climate change and some of the extreme weather events we see both in the UK and across the world in general - it does have an effect on our beekeeping - but, there again, weather patterns have always had an effect on our bees and the resultant beekeeping. The sage advice on here has always been 'beekeeping by the calendar is never the right way to go' - taking account of local conditions - of what your bees are doing (and let's face it, they usually know better what's going on around them than the beekeeper !) and responding accordingly is always going to be best practice.

One of the things that help our bees and has always been promoted on here (and thoroughly and scientifically investigated by Derek MItchell) is the benefit of insulated hives to our bees. As climate does change and weather becomes potentially more extreme then insulation is going to become even more important to allow our bees to maintain the conditions in their hives that suit brood rearing - without which, there are no bees. Forage will always be available and they will always store it but brood rearing requires specific conditions in the hive and climate/local conditions are what will affect this.

Bear in mind we have beekeepers on here who keep bees in conditions of extreme cold (FInman, Mike Palmer etc.) and extreme heat (Antipodes etc). So those of us beekeeping in more temperate areas may have to learn tricks from them.

My biggest worry, this year, has been the almost continuous wet weather - at a time when I really don't want to be opening up my hives to inspect them - what effect the continual damp conditions are having on my bees I don't really know ? Bees don't really like wet weather - it affects their ability to fly and forage and even has an effect on what forage is available. Chalk brood is more prevalent in wet and cool springs because the bees cannot easily maintain the brood nest temperature - are we going to see more of this ? Lots of things we need to consider and the variety of global conditions brought out on this forum may be of immense benefit.

 

[Amari]

My biggest worry, this year, has been the almost continuous wet weather - at a time when I really don't want to be opening up my hives to inspect them - what effect the continual damp conditions are having on my bees I don't really know ? Bees don't really like wet weather - it affects their ability to fly and forage and even has an effect on what forage is available.

They don't like windy weather either. The OSR has been in full bloom more than a week but very windy so that my five strong colonies have not increased in weight over the last two weeks.

 

[madasafish]

just stirring a hornet’s nest. I would have responded similarly. From a different perspective, maybe a topic on what beeks are doing to cope with climate trends and extreme weather events?

I have been thinking about field drains in our lawn.. But have done nothing.
Everything is ALWAYS strapped down..
Insulation.
Bees still alive and most thriving .

 

[Sutty]

One thing that might be useful would be for the poster's location to be displayed on the banner on each post.

 

[alancooper]

I don’t think we need a climate change section. What did you do in the apiary seems good enough. There’s no need to make every post standalone. You can change it to a discussion easily enough.
OR you can simply start a new thread. There are lots of threads that have been running for years, one in particular, giving the OP forum immortality after death

I may start a thread or a discussion. But I do tend to prevaricate.

 

[Anduril]

Travelling to other people's apiaries 30 minutes away there are variations, also a beekeeper who keeps bees in Gwent on higher ground than me, his flow has a tendency dry up before mine. Should we take elevation into account as well? The advice we offer is guidance, which may or may not fit at the appropriate time. The North might be 2 weeks later than the South.

 

[Vanterrier]

Sutty :
One thing that might be useful would be for the poster's location to be displayed on the banner on each post.

I asked Admin the very same thing recently...
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