Rubbish "journalism" award goes to.............

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Things have moved on since march 2009,we will soon have spirotetramat to help us out with the so called honey bee problems.
 
"There are concerns that if keepers dilute the crystals with excessive water it may cause a risk to human health and a burning sensation to the eyes or skin."
:confused:
 
Yes it's a rubbish article. But somehow they did get one thing right - VARROA is the number 1 cause of colony loss in the UK over the last few years.
 
I see that us amateurs are being partly blamed.
Went to a talk by RBI this week, part of which was his 2009 report.
One item :
IN 2008 they became aware of a self-styled "commercial" beekeeper that had sprung up in Lancshire. Could find no contact details. In 2009 they managed to get in touch and arranged an inspection. Found foulbrood in several colonies in 2 apiaries. He made the point they instigated the inpection and not the commercial beekeeper. Supply of these relatively new bees was traced to Scotland and of course from this the whole Scottish foulbrood thing opened up with hundreds of colonies affected (mainly commercial keepers I seem to remember).
He made ths point that in England and Wales bee inspections are obligatory whereas they are not in Scotland.
 
Hi Peter,

you are quite right. Amateur/professional status is no measure of competence or of a responsible attitude for that matter. However, foulbrood is a bit of a red herring as far as current "bee problems" is concerned. The statutory regime in England and Wales has kept it at bay for many years. The only problem is, foulbrood now being a rarity, most beekeepers will never encounter it so have little or no chance of diagnosing it, especially in the early stages.
 
Reading between the lines, and "guesstimating", I reckon this article, and the attitude from the rabid right-wing Tory, Edward Leigh, the Conservative MP and chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, is particularly concerned that disease controls are being undermined by the enormous number of beekeepers unknown to the Government.",
and the report
"The NAO suggests a new campaign by inspectors to persuade all beekeepers to join a national register. So far only 17,000 have done so. If that fails, it suggests that ministers should examine the viability of a compulsory scheme, similar to those in Belgium, France and New Zealand"
suggests to me a change of direction of influence by the forces of darkness - whatever else they are, they're not completely stupid, and they've at long last spotted that their days are numbered with the BBKA, as that connection is now proving to be a counter-productive embarrassment to them and their desire for world domination........
SO, being faced with the fact they've "been sussed" by a great many beekeepers who are deliberately avoiding the "Fera/Beebase register for compulsory chemicals fiddle" for obvious reasons, they've switched to other
"areas of influence" - this time within government to wield the big stick to weasel in compulsory inspection/medication without the option..........
I think it's rather similar to the BBKA farrago - the guys down at grass roots (the local inspectors) are often keen and knowledgeable beekeepers with "no chemical axe to grind" - unlike those in charge, who are wholly-owned by Big Agrochem
I would suggest a careful watch is kept on this - sensible observation, reporting and treatment of disease is one thing, but blanket compulsory medication (which is what it's leading to) should be strongly resisted...
 
“With about 3,200 people a year investing in safety suits and veiled helmets”.
If one thinks logically about these figures (assuming they are correct) most of the new beekeepers will have possibly one or two hives in their first year.

“About 30 per cent of colonies were lost to disease during the 2007-08 winter and the endemic varroa”. I.e. 1066 people (30%) will probably give up after their first year and a further reduced number will struggle on through their second year and then give up as well.

Some will end up just having a hive at the bottom of the garden ‘doing its own thing’ eventually dying out but the remainder, albeit a very small number will then continue to become good beekeepers.

I am sure I remember a campaign a couple of years ago trying to encourage people to keep bees? Now the challenge has been accepted by the public they are being told that they are doing it wrong, surely the fault lies on the information given out by BBKA, government?

This does assume that the information given out by the press is correct. Having had dealings with them, I really dislike the press in this country and have seen the way they try and distort a simple story to fit their agenda. I believe that as well as a 'Freedom of speach' we need a 'Freedom of the truth', not the distorted view of some hack trying to boost circulation figures for thier editor.


Thats my rant over for the day TGIF! :ack2:
 
Stiffy;46647 I am sure I remember a campaign a couple of years ago trying to encourage people to keep bees? Now the challenge has been accepted by the public they are being told that they are doing it wrong said:
The fault is with those who try to make out beekeeping is easy. As far as beekeepers are concerned, quality is more important than quantity.
 
Went to a talk by RBI this week, part of which was his 2009 report.
One item :
IN 2008 they became aware of a self-styled "commercial" beekeeper that had sprung up in Lancshire. Could find no contact details. In 2009 they managed to get in touch and arranged an inspection. Found foulbrood in several colonies in 2 apiaries.

Is this the famous Mr.Brian B from Lancashire that has given us forum members so much entertainment over the winter on the forum?
 
Its all about setting Standards. which at the moment is not happening as I know of beekeepers who if the truth be told will never make a good beekeeper as long as they have a hole ................ (not printable).
There is NO set standard to work to.

Regards;
 
Well, I may agree in principle, but when you actually look at it, it's a can of worms..........
Who's standards? -FERA's, who seem to be hellbent on implementing mass compulsory medication?, the BBKA's who don't give a damn as long as you don't knock their paymasters, are keen to perpetuate 150 year old thinking (and totally ignore or belittle natural, chemical-free beekeeping)
Natural beekeepers who are doing very nicely (thankyou) without inspecting or medicating their colonies to death......
As you may have noticed there is a broad spectrum of opinion as to "what's acceptable" - my personal view is that I'd like to see "education without indoctrination" - learning how to identify disease is valuable for everyone, but sadly, as it stands, the only "answers" offered are those dictated by their masters in the chemical business.........
I think there is a very indicative case in point waiting in the wings - all the "powers that be" are licking their lips at the prospect of small hive beetle arriving - whoopee compulsory registration and chemical treatment without the option (pause for cash-register "Kerrrrchings") - whereas my reading suggests that where it has occurred abroad, it can be dealt with without resorting to the ineffective (and ultimately dangerous) chemical sledgehammer!:svengo:
 
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Is this the famous Mr.Brian B from Lancashire that has given us forum members so much entertainment over the winter on the forum?

No information as to location was given but I do remember reading reports last summer of the area being around Fleetwood.

I think the person you refer to (sorry, I haven't checked the posts) is in the Manchester area, which is approx. 50 miles away.
 
With regards to standards, Ihave been fortuneate to be shown and work with beekeepers who have passed the NDB and I have tried to follow in their practical skills etc.
What would the members think if it were compolsary to sit a beekeeping practical test?Possibly set by members who have aquired the NDB.

Regards;
 
When small hive beetle arrives the hive's that have it in England and Wales, will be burnt not treated to start with as an effort to controll it.
 
And no doubt they have some automatic compensation sceme in place to replace the burnt hive's.
What is the plan for the countryside around a detection of shb,as they can fly miles,suppose blanket bomb the coutryside with napalm,or just plain insecticide.
 
I attended a course with the nbu last year as they will need help if it is found as they dont have enough inspectors to check all hives. If shb is found there will be an exclusion zone of x amount of miles then all hives within this will be checked. Of course this has short comings as not all bekeepers are registered or known about.
Personnaly I think it is only a matter of time before it comes to this country.
 
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Well when it arrives if its anything like when Aus first got shb it could of already been here for quite a while,so not much good the exclusion zone,burning ect,as they would of flown the coop so to speak.

extract below......and we import Queens from Aus to uk.

The small hive beetle (SHB) was detected in Australia in October 2002. It is not known how it entered the country, but it may have been present for over a year before being identified. It has been found in bee hives over a large area in New South Wales and movement of infested hives has spread it to Queensland.

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/27_10638.htm#spread
 
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