Monty Don't

[mbc]

Rich, coming from a man that uses 'pronounciation'.

Snigger

 

[MuswellMetro]

ooops posted this BBC reply to my complaint on another Monty Don thread

see http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33937&page=2

no , i don't think their disease responce is adequate as i was talking about EFB etc and never mentioned varroa

and theirv reply BBKA collecting swarms ...hmmmmm well 20 plus swarms in our quarintine apairy collected by volunteer BBKA swarm collectors (including me), plus a further 25 swarms i know collected by other BBKA members, The adjacent BKA asking if we needed bees as they are swamped by Swarms

I am now nolonger happy to volunteer to collect swarms, my volunteer spirit has gone ,all my boxes now being full of swarmy bees, having now run out of foundation and brood frames

whats next.......Yak farming i think as they dont swarm## (or is it Nak farming)


Reply from BBC

Reference CAS-3311545-06J5BQ

Thank you for contacting us about ‘Gardeners’ World’ as broadcast on 15th May 2015.

We apologise for the delay in replying. We realise that our correspondents appreciate a quick response and we’re sorry that you had to wait on this occasion. I understand you’re contacting us as you have a number of concerns with the discussion on honey bees.

I appreciate your frustration with this and as such I’ve contacted the Gardeners’ World production team who responded as follows:

“The approach suggested by Monty Don in the programme was based on a “bee-centred” approach to bee keeping, as advocated by the Natural Bee Keeping Trust http://www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.or...nal-beekeeping.

They take the view that bees should be left to their own devices. Some members of the British Bee Keepers Association, which takes a more conventional approach to bee husbandry, also accept that this natural (and very ancient) approach can be beneficial if the intention is just to encourage pollinators rather than to produce honey.

With reference to hidden hives, Gardeners’ World certainly would not advocate that. The advice on our website comes from the National Bee Unit, which suggests that people register their hives so that they can be kept up to date with developments and alerted to outbreaks of bee diseases in their vicinity.

There is an article in this month’s BBKA News, which suggests that incidences of Varroa are reduced in hives that are left untreated. I am sure that the complainant can appreciate that we do not have time within the programme to cover all of these issues in detail, which is why we put up a web link – to direct people to the Gardeners’ World website for more information.

With reference to being called to manage swarms, we have been advised that BBKA members are happy to provide this service. The Association website advertises a “swarm line”, where people who are worried about a swarm can get help from someone who knows what they’re dealing with.”

I hope this has addressed your concerns and rest assured your feedback is very important to us. As such I have placed your concerns on an overnight report which is a document that is made available to senior staff, programme editors and news teams across the BBC. This means your comments can be seen quickly and can be consulted in future broadcasting and policy decisions.

Thanks again for getting in touch.

Kind regards

Sean Lonergan

 

[Dishmop]

No doubt dear Heidi got paid for advising them.........all for charity of course..

She must be in her element this year with all the swarms...

I wonder if she still tells people to feed their bees with honey from another beekeepers hives..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So basically the beeb were fed a load of sh!t and they swallowed it (funnily enough it was a favourite pastime for some of the beeb's employees if some of the house raids I was involved with back in the '90's were anything to go by )

 

[Steve H]

Muswell metro i have just built a TBH for the garden and cant find your no please help LOL

 

[Dishmop]

So basically the beeb were fed a load of sh!t and they swallowed it (funnily enough it was a favourite pastime for some of the beeb's employees if some of the house raids I was involved with back in the '90's were anything to go by )

Seems there are still great numbers of the general public beng drawn into certain methods of beekeeping described as "natural" by a so called charity.

 

[madasafish]

Seems there are still great numbers of the general public beng drawn into certain methods of beekeeping described as "natural" by a so called charity.

The Bee Inspector who burned all my combs post AFB etc said that most TBHs she examines are in a disgusting state: cross combed, dirty, wax left on the ground around the hive,, etc etc..and are a real pia to inspect..

 

[Dishmop]

The Bee Inspector who burned all my combs post AFB etc said that most TBHs she examines are in a disgusting state: cross combed, dirty, wax left on the ground around the hive,, etc etc..and are a real pia to inspect..

bad hair day I expect...

 

[psafloyd]

decided to complain http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/


i am dismayed that the program suggested obtaining a swarm of Honey Bees from a local beekeepers organisation then leaving them unattended in a hive in urban gardens, it is us who will have to clear up the mess as unattended the hive will issue multiple swarms into the urban environment which is an environment that according to professor Ratniek of the laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects, University of Sussex) has already far to many beehives. Hidden hives are a constant source of disease, including Varroa ,Deformed wing Virus ,European and american foul brood ,the later subject to destruction orders similar to Foot and Mouth disease

it is also a sure way of alienating beekeepers to the general public who fear swarms i have already had two calls from the XXXXX area asking it they can have a swarm, my answer ,No

I am amazed any local BKA would give a swarm to anyone not under their supervision.

 

[itma]

I am amazed any local BKA would give a swarm to anyone not under their supervision.

In general, I doubt that they would.

However, if you said "you are going to be on telly..." people do things they otherwise might not.
Which might give telly people the false impression that was how people behaved ordinarily.
I doubt many BKAs do (or would) hand out swarms to non-members without any training whatsoever.

However, if some of the hopefuls do approach their local BKA, lets just hope that they have the wit to bring them in, rather than just slam the phone down cursing the rot that gets broadcast these days.
Did anyone else notice that the Springwatch presenters (last episode, last night) STILL don't know the difference between a bee hive and a bee colony? ("This hive is living in a tree ...")

 

[Swarm]

Some people like to complain about anything it seems. Monty Don set up a hive in his garden (a damn size larger than many here I don't doubt) big deal, no different to so many on this forum. Add to that the fact that none of you has any idea whether or if he has done a lot of research or not and god forbid, now we have presenters who have followed their script. What does that say about all the beeks on this forum who insist their queens etc hatch?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What does that say about all the beeks on this forum who insist their queens etc hatch?

well, the term was good enough for George Demarree, Louis Snelgrove and, i believe Robert Orlando branch Manley - so let's not go there shall we?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Muswell metro i have just built a TBH for the garden and cant find your no please help LOL

i have nothing against top bar hives, in fact i put a swarm into a TBH this morning, but the beekeeper had been on a beekeeping course and is a member of Essex BKA so has support

my complaint was that the program was encouraging untrained Green wellied bee lovers to keep bees and let them swarm, with no mention of the problems that causes in urban areas .

our BBKA swarm co ordinator cannt get volunteers to collect swarms anymore ,so it falls on a few retired indivuals to collect swarms Monday to friday and one or two beekeepers who work M-F at weekends, it must be over 50 swarms from various sources and 10 cut outs so far this year and the next BKA has a similar too many swarms problem, We just dont have the equipmnet at £50 per nuc to collect them