Some people should be banned from keeping bees

[smok]

He is a Bee Owner not a Beekeeper

he is hives owner ,not bee owner

 

[jeff33]

Agree on qualifications often being unnecessary/counterproductive.

Especially as we all know that bees don't read books and qualifications don't actually mean common sense.

 

[user 20297]

Especially as we all know that bees don't read books and qualifications don't actually mean common sense.

My observation so far has been that qualified beekeepers can be very competent and confident in handling bees and in understanding and carrying out manipulations, but their bees aren't always "happier" or healthier for that.

 

[JamezF]

qualifications don't actually mean common sense.

There's this problem with "common sense" though...

James

 

[Wilco]

There's this problem with "common sense" though...

James

Yes, it's not very common.

 

[Beesnaturally]

There's this problem with "common sense" though...

James

When the public is being stung we have to enquire as to just who has the commonsense deficit... perhaps it can be shared, perhaps not.

But jumping straight to 'His bees are stingy because he doesn't know what he's doing' strikes me as a leap in the dark. The most noteworthy aspect of this to me is probably - its busy flightpath weather...

 

[Erichalfbee]

When the public is being stung we have to enquire as to just who has the commonsense deficit... perhaps it can be shared, perhaps not.

But jumping straight to 'His bees are stingy because he doesn't know what he's doing' strikes me as a leap in the dark. The most noteworthy aspect of this to me is probably - its busy flightpath weather...

No.
He doesn’t know what he’s doing because he straightaway killed the colony

 

[Beesnaturally]

No.
He doesn’t know what he’s doing because he straightaway killed the colony

We don't know his circumstances. Perhaps that was the right thing to do, for him. Perhaps he'd been advised to deal with 'aggressive' bees promptly. Perhhaps he was afraid of legal action, was desperate not to upset neighbours any more. Perhaps his wife made him do it.

This won't go down well, but killing a colony of commercial bees isn't a huge sin. They are replaceble. They are livestock, not pets. The attitude that they must be saved under all circumstances actually does far more harm than good.

 

[Wilco]

We don't know his circumstances. Perhaps that was the right thing to do, for him. Perhaps he'd been advised to deal with 'aggressive' bees promptly. Perhhaps he was afraid of legal action, was desperate not to upset neighbours any more. Perhaps his wife made him do it.

This won't go down well, but killing a colony of commercial bees isn't a huge sin. They are replaceble. They are livestock, not pets. The attitude that they must be saved under all circumstances actually does far more harm than good.

I don't like that it was done but I agree with your sentiment... Although I'd choose people rather than pets in the comparison.

 

[Hachi]

This won't go down well, but killing a colony of commercial bees isn't a huge sin. They are replaceble. They are livestock, not pets. The attitude that they must be saved under all circumstances actually does far more harm than good.

There's a couple of things he could/should have tried before resorting to mass murder tho' don't you think?

 

[jeff33]

ut jumping straight to 'His bees are stingy because he doesn't know what he's doing'

He doesn't know what he is doing because killing a colony as his first option does highlight he either doesn't know what he is doing, doesn't care about his bees, or dean't have any inclination to actually learn anything from it. The 3 people who got stung (first time in 4-5 years since his bees have been there) live and work there and never threatened him to do anything which warranted killing a colony as his first option.

A half descent beekeeper would have assessed what his acceptable and what isn't in terms of bee behaviour based on the location. Followers and beegrudgers may be acceptable (depending on productivity) in an isolated apiary. However, if people are always in the vicinity of the apiary (which is the case here) this trait should not be allowed and bees requeened or hives moved elsewhere as a minimum.

 

[Beesnaturally]

There's a couple of things he could/should have tried before resorting to mass murder tho' don't you think?

Again, we don't know the circumstances. Suppose his wife said 'Kill them now or I'll leave you'. What should he do?

BTW characterising the destruction of a colony as 'mass-murder' is ludicrous, as well as fundamentally inaccurate. 'Murder' is a term reserved for the killing of people.

 

[Wingy]

Unfortunately it’s not an isolated case. My issue this year is people knocking on my door or ringing me from the allotments telling me / complaining about swarms. I’ve been out collecting plenty, 4 in one afternoon, on the allotments and no matter how much I protest they are not from my hives it’s still getting me a bad name. It’s a case of I keep bees so any issues with bees in the area is my fault.

 

[Beesnaturally]

He doesn't know what he is doing because killing a colony as his first option does highlight he either doesn't know what he is doing, doesn't care about his bees, or dean't have any inclination to actually learn anything from it. The 3 people who got stung (first time in 4-5 years since his bees have been there) live and work there and never threatened him to do anything which warranted killing a colony as his first option.

A half descent beekeeper would have assessed what his acceptable and what isn't in terms of bee behaviour based on the location. Followers and beegrudgers may be acceptable (depending on productivity) in an isolated apiary. However, if people are always in the vicinity of the apiary (which is the case here) this trait should not be allowed and bees requeened or hives moved elsewhere as a minimum.

Well, now we have more information. Can you tell us what his wife said about this?

The idea that this was all about an 'aggressive' colony needs justifying. Simply being large and flying at person height makes a collision that may result in a sting more likely. Both those things are common at this time of year.

Even if the bees were unduly aggressive requeening would take most of the summer to take effect. Moving them would be the best option, but perhaps he knew of nowhere to move them to.

In all probaiity the poor chap has been badly informed by novice/hobby beekeepers on online forums/websites, and/or in one of the many rubbish books written by the above. The sort of 'knowledge' that goes round and round in circles, accumulating unwarranted credibilty with every repetition.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Unfortunately it’s not an isolated case. My issue this year is people knocking on my door or ringing me from the allotments telling me / complaining about swarms. I’ve been out collecting plenty, 4 in one afternoon, on the allotments and no matter how much I protest they are not from my hives it’s still getting me a bad name. It’s a case of I keep bees so any issues with bees in the area is my fault.

I've found there have always been people who moan and people who are thrilled and charmed, and want to come closer and learn more. Nothing much has changed.

 

[drex]

Judge not lest,.......
I have had cats and dogs all my life. I volunteer at an animal sanctuary where the owner truly loves animals. We both believe that euthanasia has its place, when the circumstances dictate, as the last resort. In my 12 years of beekeeping I have deliberately killed one colony. I did not come to the decision lightly and was sad, but knew it was the right thing to do.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Judge not lest,.......
I have had cats and dogs all my life. I volunteer at an animal sanctuary where the owner truly loves animals. We both believe that euthanasia has its place, when the circumstances dictate, as the last resort. In my 12 years of beekeeping I have deliberately killed one colony. I did not come to the decision lightly and was sad, but knew it was the right thing to do.

I agree. Perhaps our beekeeper was distraught, but believed he had no option. Few people like killing (though most of us are happy to have others do it on an industrial basis on our behalf).

Most of us have killed a queen in order to re-queen.

 

[Hachi]

Again, we don't know the circumstances. Suppose his wife said 'Kill them now or I'll leave you'. What should he do?

BTW characterising the destruction of a colony as 'mass-murder' is ludicrous, as well as fundamentally inaccurate. 'Murder' is a term reserved for the killing of people.

Overthinking "we don't know the circumstances" can often lead to paralysis and numbness. Despite humanities best efforts they can only deal with the facts and on this forum we can only work with what we know, true or otherwise.

So you don't like mass murder what would you prefer:

massacre
Slaughter
extermination
Cleansing
mass destruction
butchering
annihilation
liquidation

All alternatives to mass murder and applied to both the human race and the animal kingdom.

 

[Beesnaturally]

Overthinking "we don't know the circumstances" can often lead to paralysis and numbness. Despite humanities best efforts they can only deal with the facts and on this forum we can only work with what we know, true or otherwise.

So you don't like mass murder what would you prefer:

massacre
Slaughter
extermination
Cleansing
mass destruction
butchering
annihilation
liquidation

All alternatives to mass murder and applied to both the human race and the animal kingdom.

We wouldn't want to make assumptions to fill out the gaps between the things we know then?

All your terms are in my view unhelpfully emotive and judgemental. Killing is fine.

 

[Hachi]

We wouldn't want to make assumptions to fill out the gaps between the things we know then?

All your terms are in my view unhelpfully emotive and judgemental. Killing is fine.
[/QUOTE

You know what to assume means?

That's your view which you are entitled too but just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.