Scare mongering again?

[Poly Hive]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56C6O120090713

 

[jezd]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE56C6O120090713

Not sure why these stories are running at this time of year, I would have thought this next winter/spring will be a real indicator on the trend and given the huge increase in hive ownership.


Jez

 

[Poly Hive]

Went for a walk this afternoon along the canal and a very flash house had a WBC and two workmanlike Nationals in the garden. Not a bee flying. Dead.

PH

 

[jezd]

PH, did you talk to them? when did they die?

 

[Poly Hive]

I was on the other side of the canal so no.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

I suspect there will be lots of gardens with hives like that,its a bit like the buy a puppy for christmas sydrome,then lob it out after,did not re-alize they grew,only in the case of bee's,just lack of knowlege,they think they are doing the bee's some favour.

 

[jon]

I have been asked by non beekeepers who would like to keep bees if it is possible to get a hive and just leave it alone at the bottom of the garden. They don't want honey. They just like the idea of keeping bees. I suspect there are quite a few who do that and these are the people who supply Heather with all the swarms.

This is all very well until you get a hands off beekeeper who has an Empty hive full of old wax with AFB spores which gets recolonised every other year and throws out regular swarms.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

This is all very well until you get a hands off beekeeper who has an Empty hive full of old wax with AFB spores which gets recolonised every other year and throws out regular swarms.

Very true, but do we all not wish for the day when bees are as common as other insects?

What then when a "natutral" swarm moves into your hive with some "disease"?

 

[jon]

I didn't put out bait hives this year.
It's easy enough to double up without collecting swarms.
Swarms make me nervous re. disease but as you said the other day, if you quarentine it should be all right as long as you are careful about hygiene of apiary equipment and tools.

 

[Geoff]

That article was appallingly written ........
1) What do health authorities have to do with bees? Health authorities deal with hospitals, doctors etc.
2) On which crops are honey bees solely responsible for pollination? The articles says 40 commercial crops. While honey bees are important i cannot think of any crop where they are the sole pollinator or even the most important pollinator. In most cases it is is because there just are not enough bees around and even where bees are moved on to a crop there are probably fewer hives then the recommended number stated by DEFRA or whatever it is called now.

 

[Hombre]

In the USA there are dependent crops such as squash, almonds etc. Is the journalist just very out of touch. His views seem also to be those that were prevalent six months or more ago.

 

[Heather]

Hi Jon- yes, I am dreading next years swarm calls- but when I get the phone call feel I have to collect where the public are inconvenienced/alarmed.
I always monitor the new swarm carefully- and treat for varroa regardless of its appearance. Grab the no-brood chance. And have a bucket near with hive tools soaking in washing soda solution so I can rotate use.
I have just been to a study day for disease recognition run by the bee inspectors so do all I can to be aware.
Am off to see if my lovely queen died after her sting.....