Sourcing bees

[Heather]

Gavin talking sense there...

 

[Jimbo]

I agree with Gavin, Our association which is next to the area of the original poster can supply a local produced Nuc. We have supplied bees to this area in the past. All you have to do is contact the Helensburgh association and place your name on the waiting list. If you join for a small fee then the members get their nucs first then we supply to other beekeepers in the West of Scotland area if we have nucs left over. We have managed to supply all our members needs every year for the past few years

 

[Stiffy]

The effects of non-native strains in a smallish area like this are often felt for a long time.

I am not going to start an argument over introduced bees again as this has been discussed time and time again but can someone provide empirical evidence that the introduction of a good strain of bee has a detrimental impact on the local stock?
S

 

[Jimbo]

Hi Stiffy,

We live on a peninsula in a fairly remote area of Scotland. We have monitored the bees for over 10 years from the beekeepers in this area. In the first survey approx 80% of our native bees were pure Amm using wing morphometry plus other Amm characteristics The other 20% were near native Amm. One of the local beekeepers purchase a few queens from Denmark which were Carniolan. The Carnies affected some of the nearest apairies and the pure Amm were diluted and became hybridised. The Carniolan were fine in the first season but died out the following year (I don't think our wet and windy Scottish weather was to their taste), however the nearest bees to them became more aggressive in subsequent years.
We surveyed all the bees again a few years later and found the amount of pure Amm had dropped to approx 40% of all the colonies. This was not all due to the the introduction of the Carniolans but also due to the increase in the number of people starting beekeeping in the area who were supplied with local hybridised colonies but we could still see the effects of the Carniolans.
The number of beekeepers has reduced over the last few years and the number of colonies have also reduced. We are due to survey all the colonies again this year with a view to trying to conserve the remaining pure Amm.
I have the morphometry data from the last 10 years that backs up the above observations.
Can I also remind forum members that we still have areas in Scotland that have pure Amm strongholds as well as varroa free areas and importing bees even from other areas of the UK could have a serious affect to our local bees

 

[Swarm]

If that doesn't explain it nothing will.

 

[sheena]

Hi Sheena,

Have you contacted Dunoon beekeepers association? I was over there a few years ago giving them a talk and I know they are keen in breeding from their local stocks and may assist in getting you a locally produced nuc. If they can't help then contact me at Helensburgh Beekeeping association. We are the next association to you and we do produce a number on nuc's each year for our members and also supply nucs to the West area beekeepers if we have any spare. We encourage all the members in the West of Scotland beekeeping associations to purchase local produced bees as we have a number of native Amm areas that we are trying to preserve.

Hi, I'm a member of the Dunoon association and I've asked to go on the swarm list there. I'll double check they don't have any nucs for sale and contact you if not. Thanks

 

[irishguy]

Just a thought . . . . I don't know if its the same with your association but certainly with my one the joining fee also includes insurance for the first 3 hives so it may be worth looking at.

What is included in the insurance cover.

 

[biglongdarren]

What is included in the insurance cover.

hey irishguy , where abouts in the country are you from?
hope your well,
Darren

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

I have to agree with all that you have said. I now have some of the nicest gentle NZ bees that have done very well for the last three years. I am replacing all my local stock with them....

 

[irishguy]

hey irishguy , where abouts in the country are you from?
hope your well,
Darren

In the west, county mayoooooooo. Originally from Belfast thou. Please tell me you have nucs for sale

 

[Carmel]

What is included in the insurance cover.

Hi Irish Guy, I was just after throwing out the edition of "an Beachaire" which had the insurance policy outlined in it , it says:

the insurance with the FIBKA covers "members in respect of any injury or loss sustained by a 3rd party as a result of the insured's beekeeping. In addition the land owners on whose land members may keep their bees is indemnified in respect of any damage or loss caused by beekeeping activity"

It also covered honey sold by members.

Have you ever kept bees before?

 

[sharonh]

I was hoping to put native irish black bees in my hives but im having trouble getting someone to sell me them without joining an association. I can buy buckfast bees at a reasonable price butwas hoping more for our native bees. I know i should join the association and i probably will in the future but i dislike the fact that i "have" to join if i want these bees. Thats all well and good joining but theres a fee for joining then ive to take a beginers course before theywill sell the bees. If i cant source the native bees by may, ill just buy the buckfast bee.s instead

Irish guy,
I have sent you a message

 

[irishguy]

Hi Irish Guy, I was just after throwing out the edition of "an Beachaire" which had the insurance policy outlined in it , it says:

the insurance with the FIBKA covers "members in respect of any injury or loss sustained by a 3rd party as a result of the insured's beekeeping. In addition the land owners on whose land members may keep their bees is indemnified in respect of any damage or loss caused by beekeeping activity"

It also covered honey sold by members.

Have you ever kept bees before?

I will have no problem with any damage caused by my bees. I live down a culdesac in the countrysside and only us, my father and 1 farmer uses this lane so can't see any problems arising. Does the insurance cover hive theft?

 

[mickhayes]

Hi,
I think people are generally well-intentioned in suggesting you complete a beginners course or equivalent before you keep bees. They are on your side really.

But you don't actually need a license to keep bees, so it's up to yourself.

Before deciding, you might consider the FIBKA website's education section, where there is a syllabus so you can see what should be covered in a FIBKA beginners course.

"fibka preliminary syllabus" is what you need to search for.

/MH

 

[Edwardking]

A license to keep bees! Brilliant idea! I'll suggest it to my MP

 

[Les]

A license to keep bees! Brilliant idea! I'll suggest it to my MP

Now don’t go giving the government any ideas about how they can tax beekeepers – they come up with enough ways to tax people without any help

 

[Edwardking]

But licensing can be achieved by setting a minimum education level (say, the Basic). This will help support healthier bees and hives.