RSPCA & Bees

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Maybe Celia should take a step back and ask herself why is the BBKA not filling this gap when, to be honest they are part of the problem, not the solution.

You may be right about that - I just don't know. I'd find it helpful to hear, briefly, perhaps as constructive criticism, why the BBKA is failing at whatever you think it should be doing.
I suppose what's at the back of my mind is that I don't want to find myself drawn into a passive negative attitude to the BBKA simply as a consequence of offhand criticism I read on BKF.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You may be right about that - I just don't know. I'd find it helpful to hear, briefly, perhaps as constructive criticism, why the BBKA is failing at whatever you think it should be doing.
I suppose what's at the back of my mind is that I don't want to find myself drawn into a passive negative attitude to the BBKA simply as a consequence of offhand criticism I read on BKF.

Generic OAV might be a good start.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And what about taking direct funding from pesticide manufacturers
Or some of the absolute tripe published in their comic on a monthly basis?
Or their claim that Thymol has no effect whatsoever on nosema
Or their passing on of dubious and basically archaic 'knowledge' in their many teaching modules

Matchsticks!!​

 

[Do224]

Generic OAV might be a good start.

What is generic oav?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What is generic oav?

It's what every other European country campaigned and got - the right to use bog standard 'generic' Oxalic acid for sublimating bees to control Varroa, and not pay through the nose for Apibioxal or other packaged treatments. BBKA declined to push for no further regulation as they didn't believe in it. With very little fuss everyone else in Europe can just use bog standard (and cheap) OA

 

[Gilberdyke John]

yep, a few years ago I'd gone for a drive to scope out some land for shooting and my father's cousin flagged me down - he was out for a walk and had found a horse which had slipped and got stuck on it's back in a ditch. neither of us knew who owned it so I called the RSPCA for help - they just weren't interested and said as much to me. In the end I had to sort the whole thing out meself.

A few years ago my daughters Irish Draft backed into a ditch and ended up stuck upside down. We were struggling to get a rope under him and lift him out with a JCB. Someone phoned the fire brigade and they arrived just after I got the rope in place under the horse.
The FB closed the adjacent road, called out a vet, had a meeting led by a guy in a white hat, then produced a couple of slings (basically lorry straps similar to what we had) which they pulled under the horse with our rope. I was forbidden to stay in the ditch with our horse who laid there bemused. Then they had another meeting while the guy in the white hat spoke at length. Following this second meeting the straps were passed over the digger bucket, the bucket raised, the horse lifted out and stood on the adjacent ground after which my daughter led him home. The digger driver couldn't believe the buggering about and meetings that went on. If the FB had taken another quarter hour to arrive the job would have been over before they got there.

 

[Pembroke]

As the RSPCA have a reputation for being 'woke' we need to be careful as their involvement might well be steered by the vegan view on bees and beekeepers.

This view would appear to be that we 'exploit' our bees for commercial gain. Whereas the bees they are seeing are the ones used to pollinate farms in the USA where yes, the bees are moved from farm to farm over a short period of time to provide pollination services.

Not something that really happens very much in this country and certainly not by most beekeepers.

 

[JamezF]

As the RSPCA have a reputation for being 'woke' we need to be careful as their involvement might well be steered by the vegan view on bees and beekeepers.

"Woke" in the original context it was used meant "sensitive to injustice and intolerance towards other individuals or parts of society", particularly those of a difference race, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The far right appear to be trying to redefine it as a term abuse for anyone they disagree with, which almost certainly includes a large number of rational human beings. Arguably includes all rational human beings

I'm not sure which meaning, if either, fits the RSPCA.

James

 

[B_north]

Interesting, Canadian beekeepers used to just shake out their bees at the end of the year and harvest. Obviously none survived. I don't like that approach at all, but I am not fond of our SPCA either.

Very well put JamezF, I struggle to come up with a well worded rebuttal when faced with the "woke" slur. I actually think it is a complement, I am happy being "woke" it is better than snoozing thru life oblivious to harm done to others.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

don't they use the slur 'woke' because they can't spell 'enlightened'

 

[MJNT]

Shaking bees out wouldn’t interest anyone other than hopefully the majority of the population as we can legally throw a conscious cow on its back hitting its head on the ground then slice through it’s sensitive skin nerves and muscle if it’s neck letting it bleed to death aware of its pain … that’s ok but imagine the justifiable outcry if Mrs Jones much loved pet dog or cat had to be euthanised and it was done in the same way!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Shaking bees out wouldn’t interest anyone

I don't know - it seems to get the BBKA 'shook swarm' brigade excited every spring

 

[pargyle]

OK everyone ... handle with care ... it's about RSPCA and bees ... lets not descend to the cupboard under the stairs ...it's getting close .... stay on topic please.