Swarm Collectors List

[dpearce4]

it is interesting that there are no members of my local bka on the list, the only person who is on the list covering my area lives over 10miles away, and this person i know works in london so wouldnt be able to deal with a swarm that quickly. seems to me that the bbka have got it wrong again.

 

[rockdoc]

I completely agree with Rosecottage, I started collecting swarms in the hills of east Devon with my father. I can still remember individual swarm events as scary, thrilling and highly educational plus a fond precious memory of my Dad when was a fit and well man.
The point has been well made by you. I have spoken to the BBKA and this was their reasoning last for creating the lists the way they did. It was (apparently) pressure from secretaries of local branches which has forced a retrograde step IMHO. Adopting this practice will ultimately lead to a sort of closed shop or at least the potential for it. We need to encourage as many newbies to at least escort a swarm collector to learn about this stuff. That is certainly what I intend to do this year, provided I make it on the list!
I feel it is imperative you ask for a contribution for fuel. Some have suggested we should be happy with the bees. Well I can tell you that last year I was grateful for a contribution to at least offset the false calls to things other than honey bees.
And please lets keep politics out of beekeeping, I'm sure my bees and those I collect don't give a fig whether I'm a card carrying Tory or not.

 

[Polyanwood]

No that is last year's list. Think I'm still on it. I put myself on it last year. I was pleased and saw it as a compliment that they let me have my name on it. There was not a particularly stringent standard you had to be at to get on it though. I realised this when I saw that someone I know who has done a taster course and has never kept bees was on the list too.

I asked him if he had collected swarms before, and he said not but that there was no special requirement and he saw it as a list to get free bees.

 

[tonybloke]

i reckon it's because of situations like that, polyanwood, that the list is being organised through the local associations this year

 

[For want of a better word]

I suspect in many cases the LIST is made up from those in the inner-circle of the BBKA world.... nothing at all wrong with that if you are in that privileged group.


The Bums-Rush is what I experienced in my enquiry as how one gets on the list... ie you are not in the inner-circle so GO AWAY and close the door firmly behind you... good day !

 

[dpearce4]

you were even allowed through the door lol. round here i wouldnt get passed the door buzzer before i got the bums rush lol

 

[tazbee]

I suspect in many cases the LIST is made up from those in the inner-circle of the BBKA world.... nothing at all wrong with that if you are in that privileged group.


The Bums-Rush is what I experienced in my enquiry as how one gets on the list... ie you are not in the inner-circle so GO AWAY and close the door firmly behind you... good day !

Hi icanhopit

Try contacting Lisa Hackett of the newly formed Kit hill group,
[email protected]

regards

John D

 

[countryman]

still no problem getting on the swarm collectors list just google swarm collectors list register and they put you on it

 

[For want of a better word]

still no problem getting on the swarm collectors list just google swarm collectors list register and they put you on it

Just tried that..... more info please as seems to be a list of wasp collectors!

 

[BBG]

An appalling diversionary tactic to take your attention!

 

[countryman]

follow as i said then at the top in small letters in the centre register as be swarm collector ignore the bit about jaspers that is to put off people who have wasps and get you to do the job for next to nothing

 

[countryman]

honey bee swarm collectors list uk if you are a bee collector etc click on this form hope this is of help

 

[onriver]

I've got myself confused! I put myself on the BBKA list last year and enjoyed it - a few bumble bees, a few false alarms, 1 waste of time and a few swarms collected, met some good people and had lots of conversations about bees
From what Susbees is saying, I think, my details will now be taken off the list unless I ask my BKA to nominate me, or does this only apply to new applicants?

 

[psafloyd]

I've got myself confused! I put myself on the BBKA list last year and enjoyed it - a few bumble bees, a few false alarms, 1 waste of time and a few swarms collected, met some good people and had lots of conversations about bees
From what Susbees is saying, I think, my details will now be taken off the list unless I ask my BKA to nominate me, or does this only apply to new applicants?

No, to all. And because I have not yet completed my basic (though will have before the season starts), I am excluded this year.

Not overly happy about it as it you'll be a matter of a week or two, but I will be on an informal list held by the committee.

I could have had half a dozen last year but got one good one. The rest all came while I was away (mostly abroad) and a few were false alarms, one was wasps and one bloke was a chancer who I told would have to take action himself as access was so poor.

 

[Into the lions den]

No, to all. And because I have not yet completed my basic (though will have before the season starts), I am excluded this year.

Guess that rules me out then! lol (and probably the vast majority of beekeepers in the UK). I have precisely zero beekeeping qualifications.

Somebody needs to get a grip, as it has all gone way too pedantic and 'mind your backside' ish.

Collecting swarms aint rocket science. When I was far away my daughter, starting at age 10, and with an allergy as well, used to tie the cardboard boxes and sheets (thats what we usually collect them in) on the back of her bike and go and do the needful, normally successfully and with no problems. Just in the local town, but she nabbed a few every season, and I knew nothing about it till I came home and found that there had been a swarm call (about 75% of them either direct from the neighbours or from the pest control contractor) and there was a box wrapped up in a sheet sitting in the shade outside my office.

 

[susbees]

Guess that rules me out then! lol (and probably the vast majority of beekeepers in the UK). I have precisely zero beekeeping qualifications.

I have precisely zero idea where this idea about needing qualifications for swarm-collecting came from. It is pure invention - it is some competence that counts: go with someone else or collect your own escapes, whichever then sort out local BKA policy if you aren't happy. We listen to our beekeepers. As with everything in beekeeping, some are naturally more intuitive than others and learn real fast...others may leave the queen up the tree and head for home with the rest (at least two of our collectors have been called to resolve these last season).

I could spend half an hour going through our membership comparing those that have the Basic with those on our list...our collectors' list is public on the BKA website - local page for local needs and all that. But that would be a waste of time: exams are just not what this is about at all.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Qualification required = experience!

In my years of swarm collecting the only things that count are experience and common sense!

If you have the chance go to collect a few swarms with an experienced collector and try it on 'easily' reachable swarms. (Knee to head height in a bush/hedge/tree)

 

[simonf]

I to was on the BBKA swarm collectors list last year, collected 3 swarms and really enjoyed it, I have expressed my willingness as I did last year to collect swarms with my local association but have not been nominated as a collector.

 

[psafloyd]

I have precisely zero idea where this idea about needing qualifications for swarm-collecting came from. It is pure invention - it is some competence that counts: go with someone else or collect your own escapes, whichever then sort out local BKA policy if you aren't happy. We listen to our beekeepers. As with everything in beekeeping, some are naturally more intuitive than others and learn real fast...others may leave the queen up the tree and head for home with the rest (at least two of our collectors have been called to resolve these last season).

There are two obvious reasons for the BBKA wishing to impose these rules.

1) They want to be sure that those who are on their official list have a basic level of competence. It doesn't mean they are any better than another beekeeper without the basic, but they have demonstrated a basic level of knowledge and handling to the required standard.

2) The swarm list has been somewhat in disarray for some years, apparently, so they wish to make the admin more simple. They therefore have farmed this out to local associations and the local associations want to be sure their swarm collectors are competent. The measure of a basic level of competence? Yes, the basic.

Now, I've already said I am not very happy about this, but can see the reason for it. It may be with all the new beekeepers (myself included), the BBKA is anticipating many more swarms getting away. Therefore they want to be sure the swarm collectors are qualified to collect them.

On a final, more cynical point, it means that if you want to be on the swarm collectors list, you have to have the basic. This will of course drive up the demonstrable level of qualification and of course, it doesn't half help with the KER-CHING revenues.

 

[susbees]

On a final, more cynical point, it means that if you want to be on the swarm collectors list, you have to have the basic. This will of course drive up the demonstrable level of qualification and of course, it doesn't half help with the KER-CHING revenues.

psa floyd....that is completely untrue.

It may be that your LOCAL bka has set its own rules but I can assure you that the documents sent to local bka secretaries makes no mention whatsoever of needing a Basic qualification for the National BBKA list!!! I have now had to write this twice. We have extremely experienced bee farmers and others on our collector list who have never done a BBKA exam and I intend to keep it that way.