No rules, every situation on its own merits.
I agree ..
I've given bees away - whether from swarms collected or splits from my own bees... the 'going rate' in this area is that the cost of kit that goes with them (frames. foundation, boxes) or full replacement is reasonable., the bees are free. I've been fortunate over the years to have been given bees and queens when fellow beekeepers have had a need to reduce their numbers and I've always tried to reciprocate by being equally generous.
However, there is always a fear that giving things away does not generate a value in the person receiving and there is always the worry of 'easy come/easy go'. Talking specifically about new beekeepers, I would always want to know that there was some ability and commitment in the person to whom the bees were being donated - I've seen a number of new beekeepers, having been given given swarms, that fail to meet the necessary requirements and responsibilites in keeping bees and fail to continue in the craft - often lacking the necesssary commitment.
Equally, I've had to try and sort out problems where new beekeepers have either been sold or given bees that were not suitable for a new beekeeper - viscious colonies sold to them for several hundred pounds and colonies with failing queens or in one case no queen ! In some cases the experience of starting out with a colony that was problematical has resulted in the loss of a beekeeper to a craft that really needs a continuing influx of new beekeepers as the old ones cease for whatever reason. We lose enough new beekeepers without either making life difficult for them or taking financial advantage of their ignorance.
I think there should be an unwritten code (there will never be a written one) associated with the transfer of bees to new beekeepers (established beekeepers should be able to fend for themselves !) that says swarms or nucs should be of decent temperament, proven queenright and healthy. There is a cost to this pre-qualification of the colony and I have no issue with there being a fair cost for this - bees are valuable livestock and anyone should be prepared to accept that there is a value to the transfer.
Plus, I think transferring bees to a new beekeepers comes with a responsibily - there should be a package of ongoing assistance provided, along with the bees, so that the new beekeeper can have confidence that the bees they now have are of a merchantable quality and assistance in dealing with any problems (real or perceived) is on hand. I'm not saying that this should be at the level of mentoring or unreasonable expectations imposed by the new beekeeper - it has to be a mutually accepted arrangement.
In these circumstances there is obviously a cost attributed to this put on the donor or seller .. it is irresponsible to give or sell bees to a new beekeeper without either a guarantee and/or a pacckage of support. If the donor chooses to absorb the cost of the warranty then that is a charitable position to take but it does not abdicate them from the responsibility. If they choose to pass on some or all of the cost of the warranty then I have no problem with a charge being made and some understanding of what is being provided on both sides of the transaction.
I am sure there are some very responible donors and sellers of bees out there - but, like all walks of life, there are going to be rogues prepared to take advantage either financially or for the kudos of 'giving' swarms away. We should all look closely (even as hobbyist beekeepers) at how we transfer bees to new entrants to the craft and take some responsibility.
one of the reasons of my falling out with the chairman of my last BKA
