Now it's the Beekeepers fault!

[Floyd]

Just seen this on the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30831257

 

[pargyle]

Just seen this on the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30831257

I think we had something about this on here a few days ago ... not the beekeepers but the horticulturalists who are importing bumbles for pollination services - if I remember correctly there are no import restrictions on bumbles (unlike honey bees) but they can still carry the diseases and parasites that affect other bees ...

Crazy situation if this is correct and FERA need to do something about it - pronto before the season starts. (Not hopeful though !)

 

[Finman]

.
That competition has been long time. And honey bees were disappearing last year.

.

 

[Nige.Coll]

As far as I know imported bumblebees don't go through the same checks as honeybees and are not supposed to be released into the wild.
Obviously the do get released or escape anyone on the council swarm list will have seen foreign bumbles.


Does anyone here run a commercial pollination service in the UK ?


"Vanessa Amaral-Rogers of the charity, Buglife, said the results of the study showed an urgent need for changes in how the government regulates the importation of bees."
I agree with this bit of the article the sooner the better.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Still the usual mishmash of miainformation (or misinterpretation of information) sprinkled with the odd nutter and an obvious demonstration of not knowing basic facts. Does nothing to help highlight the fact that bumbles seems to have slipped under the radar as far as import controls are concerned.
Bees bred in captivity my a*se!

 

[pargyle]

Still the usual mishmash of miainformation (or misinterpretation of information) sprinkled with the odd nutter and an obvious demonstration of not knowing basic facts. Does nothing to help highlight the fact that bumbles seems to have slipped under the radar as far as import controls are concerned.
Bees bred in captivity my a*se!

Yes ... the quality of some journalism these days has to be seriously questioned - just the ability to write clearly and concisely appears to be a problem with some of them - and a total lack of comprehension when it comes to gathering facts.

It may be the fact that the old way of getting into journalism used to be starting at the bottom as a 'cub' reporter and having every single word you wrote picked over by a sub editor who was scared witless that he would leave a mis spelt word or some ambiguity in the article which would then cause him/her to be eaten alive by the editor ! The honing and wordsmithing that went on in those days has been replaced by cut and paste from wherever the information is, grammar and spell checks done automatically by the computer (and let's face it - if you don't know what to expect then you just accept what the computer tells you !) and what we end up with is, as you rightly say, a mish mash of information - some right - some wrong - some irrlevant and which then gets perpetuated by the internet until it becomes CAST IN STONE FACT !!!

Today's rant over ... well - the first of today's rants over perhaps ... have a good one beeks - off to try and sort out my mum's central heating which has packed up on the coldest day of the year so far down here - plumber may get here next week by which time she will probably have died from hypothermia if I don't do something ... innit always the case ....

 

[rolande]

if I remember correctly there are no import restrictions on bumbles (unlike honey bees)

http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadDocument.cfm?id=2

Bumble bees must:
Have been bred and kept under a controlled environment within a recognised
establishment which is supervised and controlled by the competent authority;
The establishment referred to above was inspected immediately prior to despatch and all
bumble bees and breeding stock showed no clinical signs of suspicion of disease including
infestations affecting bees;
Have undergone detailed examination to ensure that all bumble bees, brood-stock and
packaging do not contain the small hive beetle or its eggs and larvae, or other infestations,
in particular tropilaelaps mites affecting bees.
The packing material, containers, accompanying products and food are new and have not
been in contact with diseased bees or brood combs, and all precautions have been taken
to prevent contamination with agents causing diseases or infestations of bees.

 

[Dishmop]

And honey bees were disappearing last year.

and they say that every year.

 

[madasafish]

Anyone who expects facts from any news reporting organisation - and especially the BBC- is seriously naive or dumb or both..

See: New Oxfam report says half of global wealth held by the 1%
http://tinyurl.com/mqt84tg

By definition anyone on the UK minimum wage is wealthy - in the world context..the average world wage is £ 6,273 pa.. http://tinyurl.com/ku3ot7l

Surprisingly enough, no-one tells you that....when peddling their politics.

 

[Apple]

Species of bees used for this purpose, or in commercial hives, are known to suffer from parasite infections and more than 20 viruses.

Most of us are OK then, Nationals, WBC's, Dadant and Langstroth's, any thing but Commercials!

James

 

[domino]

The basic premise that bee imports need tighter regulation isn't far off my World view.

 

[itma]

Just seen this on the BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30831257

Better late than never ... the story started earlier http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=457832#post457832

 

[dpearce4]

A very very very large pepper producer near here (well nearer Chichester) informed me last year at the south of England show they imported 30,000 packages of bumblebees last year for they greenhouse (13ha) all of which were allowed to produce queens and allowed to leave via the vents. sounds like Chichester may have a real population explosion of bumbles this year.

 

[Tim.S]

Sometimes I think I see more bumbles than honeybees here. But yes this needs looking at. Koppert is one of the companies involved if anyone wants to look further. We also have semi protected strawberry crops around these parts which use bumbles as apparently they do a better job than our girls. These polytunnels are open ended so Mrs bumble has no need to escape as she is already outside!
Not saying that I am against the use of pollinators in this way, but there is big money involved in the production and sale of these bees and I suspect that some corners are cut.

 

[oliver90owner]

Think a little while back, oh righteous beeks. Who exactly was responsible for the rapid (almost) worldwide spread of varroa?

Got it in one, have we? But do they learn from previous mistakes? Seems like a lot have never thought or have forgotten about past blunders, some wish to conveniently forget them and some have never heard of them.

Just like there are no benign insecticides - they all kill insects. Even killer bees in America are changing the environment. Even 'safe' herbicides are not really quite what some expect (ask those with birth defects due to Argentine use of GMO's.

It is the fault of everyone, not only (but including) beekeepers.

 

[Swarm]

Think a little while back, oh righteous beeks. Who exactly was responsible for the rapid (almost) worldwide spread of varroa?

Got it in one, have we? But do they learn from previous mistakes? Seems like a lot have never thought or have forgotten about past blunders, some wish to conveniently forget them and some have never heard of them.

Just like there are no benign insecticides - they all kill insects. Even killer bees in America are changing the environment. Even 'safe' herbicides are not really quite what some expect (ask those with birth defects due to Argentine use of GMO's.

It is the fault of everyone, not only (but including) beekeepers.

Very true.

 

[REDWOOD]

+1

 

[BeeJayBee]

these studies show how diseases can be transmitted between managed honey bees and commercial bumble bees

Did they get this the wrong way round?

Isn't it the case that disease can be transmitted between commercial (i.e. imported) bumble bees and any bees in the area, whether they are managed or feral honey bees, solitary bees, or bumble bees?

 

[pargyle]

Think a little while back, oh righteous beeks. ....
It is the fault of everyone, not only (but including) beekeepers.

+ 2 ... On so many levels we seem incapable of learning from past mistakes - or from the results of deliberate but ill-considered acts.

Is it only when you get old and look back that it becomes clear ? ... I don't think in my youth I was capable of looking far enough ahead or sufficiently willing to ....

 

[Russel]

Radio 4 Farming Today odd how they rarely seem to ask bee keepers what thety think?