Estimating colony from foragers

[Finman]

Do you know how much scientists have researched trickling during 30 years?
.

Sorry.... During 20 years

.

 

[Swarm]

That message circulated around our association meetings. Either those in the know don't speak up or long ago stopped attending

Yes, I have to agree.

 

[Beefriendly]

Talking to very experienced beekeepers from my association and from other associations.
Bee farmers that have to replace queen's more often than they had to before varroa treatments were implemented.
Is this not of concern ??

Ask them for their actual figures...and when you say they should be able to calculate them from their records I can almost guarantee they will reply...."What records".!
It's hearsay.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Talking to very experienced beekeepers from my association and from other associations.
Bee farmers that have to replace queen's more often than they had to before varroa treatments were implemented.
Is this not of concern ??

Bee farmers have always replaced queens before 'they have to', the frequency of replacement doesn't seem to have changed.

The 'experienced beekeepers' in the average association are, on the whole just five minute experts, who unfortunately shout louder than the quiet ones who actually know and understand the craft
now that is what is a matter of concern

 

[birdsandbees]

I have had "experienced beekeepers" tell me all sorts of things: viz: matchsticks are essential for ventilation, polyhives are no good, etc etc.

and that's the thing isn't it, for some reason time served/experience seems to equate to knowledge and ability, in my experience both at work and with Beekeeping that isn't necessarily the case.
Someone that has had a couple of hives for 20+ years and does little with them aside taking off Honey at the end of the year or buying in an occasional queen will likely have less knowledge and ability than someone who has had ten or more hives for five years who has a thirst for knowledge and has developed more skills with regard to resolving problems, rearing their own queens and carrying out manipulations.

 

[For want of a better word]

Ask them for their actual figures...and when you say they should be able to calculate them from their records I can almost guarantee they will reply...."What records".!
It's hearsay.

 

[Curly green fingers]

If I can get any real data I will , infact I'll let you know the outcome .

 

[Beefriendly]

If I can get any real data I will , infact I'll let you know the outcome .

This story has been doing the rounds for years. I put it down to "things where better in those days...you could buy fish and chips, 20 woodbine, three pints of beer and still get change from a threpenny bit"

If you think about it...how long is a queen meant to last anyway?

 

[For want of a better word]

This story has been doing the rounds for years. I put it down to "things where better in those days...you could buy fish and chips, 20 woodbine, three pints of beer and still get change from a threpenny bit"

If you think about it...how long is a queen meant to last anyway?

plus a bottle of brown ale AND a packet of three and a small box of SwanVestas... all for a silver threepenny bit,,, was a shillings worth in my misspent youth roaming the streets and whorehouses of Limehouse!

 

[Swarm]

The 'experienced beekeepers' in the average association are, on the whole just five minute experts, who unfortunately shout louder than the quiet ones who actually know and understand the craft
now that is what is a matter of concern

This is the very point I was making, the person in question was in one of the beginners classes I took a few years ago.

 

[SDM]

I dont think time served or numbers of hives equates to knowledge per se.
Many a 20 yr beekeeper has just been repeating what he decided was right in his first year and plenty of first year keepers already building impressive beekeeping bookshelves and revelling in the enormity of the subject.
Even experience is irrelevant if you know who's experiences to take seriously.

 

[Millet]

I dont think time served or numbers of hives equates to knowledge per se.
Many a 20 yr beekeeper has just been repeating what he decided was right in his first year and plenty of first year keepers already building impressive beekeeping bookshelves and revelling in the enormity of the subject.
Even experience is irrelevant if you know who's experiences to take seriously.

Spot on...

 

[Millet]

I have read one book (haynes bee manual) which got me going in the right direction.. i have another here (the Buzz about Bees) which i have read bit's of..don't get me wrong i can read but some word's confuse me and make it no fun.. i much prefer to go it alone and learn from my own mistakes which i never forget..
I get load's of help from the forum and secret members who share valuable and good knowledge to me ..but as far as joining a association makes the hairs stick up on the back of my neck..

 

[Eyeman]

and that's the thing isn't it, for some reason time served/experience seems to equate to knowledge and ability, in my experience both at work and with Beekeeping that isn't necessarily the case.
Someone that has had a couple of hives for 20+ years and does little with them aside taking off Honey at the end of the year or buying in an occasional queen will likely have less knowledge and ability than someone who has had ten or more hives for five years who has a thirst for knowledge and has developed more skills with regard to resolving problems, rearing their own queens and carrying out manipulations.

When I'm ask How long have you been keeping bees?
Long enough the realise there's alot I still need to know!

 

[Curly green fingers]

I have read one book (haynes bee manual) which got me going in the right direction.. i have another here (the Buzz about Bees) which i have read bit's of..don't get me wrong i can read but some word's confuse me and make it no fun.. i much prefer to go it alone and learn from my own mistakes which i never forget..
I get load's of help from the forum and secret members who share valuable and good knowledge to me ..but as far as joining a association makes the hairs stick up on the back of my neck..

Buzz about bee's by Tautz ?
If it's the same book I've had to Google lots of definitions .

The thing I don't like about association's is why is there such a following of bbka and I'm a new committe member , the other members might be wanting to get rid of me sooner rather than later, we had our first meeting the other night , and I had to ask certain questions , I'm thinking I've been nominated to make up the numbers .
I've got a new thread brewing!!!!

 

[Poly Hive]

I just do not agree and think a lot is being missed.

A person with one hive has in one season a "bee year".

A person with 1000 hives has 999 more chances to see variations of behaviour.

It's that simple and its why I will listen to ITLD all day long.

PH

 

[Millet]

I just do not agree and think a lot is being missed.

A person with one hive has in one season a "bee year".

A person with 1000 hives has 999 more chances to see variations of behaviour.

It's that simple and its why I will listen to ITLD all day long.

PH

That is obvious to me..at the moment i have six hives and one nuc and no two are the same..in those hives i have Queens from three different sources..

 

[Hivemaker.]

It's that simple and its why I will listen to ITLD all day long.

But often still think what he or others are doing is bad for the bees?

 

[SDM]

I just do not agree and think a lot is being missed.

A person with one hive has in one season a "bee year".

A person with 1000 hives has 999 more chances to see variations of behaviour.

It's that simple and its why I will listen to ITLD all day long.

PH

But only if they are paying attention and not acting out some constant "beekeeping calendar" that they were given in year one.
Theyre likely not the ones asking or answering questions on forums though, they have "their" answers and are content plodding along in the same way.
Strange folk for sure.

 

[B+.]

But only if they are paying attention and not acting out some constant "beekeeping calendar" that they were given in year one.
Theyre likely not the ones asking or answering questions on forums though, they have "their" answers and are content plodding along in the same way.
Strange folk for sure.

Is that what you think? Really?
Perhaps, it could be that he has other things, more pressing to take care of...like moving bees to their Spring forage.