Two Unique opportunities for Cornish Beekeepers.

[Hivemaker.]

1. September 26th 2018 Heligan declare themselves a Black Bee Reserve with Sir Tim Smit.
2. 2018 The University of Plymouth/B4 is aiming to take DNA samples of 300 Cornish Bee hives.

Wednesday 26th September

The Lost Gardens of Heligan are becoming a Native Bee Haven and we will hear from Sir Tim Smit, Dr Mike Maunder (Eden’s Director of Life Sciences), George Elworthy (MD Heligan.), Victoria Buswell University of Plymouth, members of the B4 group and Donna Cox, Moor Meadows.

Email. Bob Black [email protected] to arrange your invitation.

University of Plymouth 2018

Ever wondered whether your bees are Italian, Buckfast, Carniolan or near native? Researchers are offering Cornish beekeepers a unique opportunity to have their bees DNA tested, with the option of also taking part in a citizen science project.

Researchers at the University of Plymouth are aiming to take DNA samples and analyse colony characteristics of nearly 300 Cornish Bee hives. This is an opportunity to take part in one of the most detailed DNA testing and phenotypic surveys of bees ever conducted in England.

DNA samples and analyse, more information please email Victoria Buswell: [email protected]

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ooo I was there a few weeks ago.
Really pretty Bee Boles
Do they have hives at The Eden project as well?

 

[For want of a better word]

Ooo I was there a few weeks ago.
Really pretty Bee Boles
Do they have hives at The Eden project as well?

Once upon a time at the Lost Gardens there were skeps in the bols with bees in as well.. unfortunately a visitor to the gardens took it upon herself to show her child the bees up close inside one of the skeps... with expected catastrophic consequences... health and safety no longer allow the skeps!

And at the Eden Project...
Yes... up on the top of the "Hill" to the left as you go down the zig zag to the entrance... BHS polly hives painted in interesting designs... and full of productive dark Cornish bees.... plenty of forage for them there all year!

There are also dark Cornish bees at Godolphin.. another Cornish garden with bee bols



Yeghes da

 

[Erichalfbee]

Here’s one

 

[yeogi75]

t last someone willing to get the ball started although they are black bees, now all we need is queen rearing along the same lines and colleges and institutions getting behind bees where is the bbka when needed

 

[For want of a better word]

t last someone willing to get the ball started although they are black bees, now all we need is queen rearing along the same lines and colleges and institutions getting behind bees where is the bbka when needed

The B4 Project has stolen the dance from the BBKA on the native dark honeybees here in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and the greater South West Penninsular.

Breeding Programes, research, education and courses in bee improvement, queen rearing and even AI have all been successfully undertaken by BIPCo / BIBBA members in conjunction with the local associations.

Growing interest from the Beefarmers on using the endemic bee... that has adapted to produce highly valued honey even in the most adverse of conditions..... and does not need 6 tons of invert to get them through the winter!

Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

Growing interest from the Beefarmers on using the endemic bee... that has adapted to produce highly valued honey even in the most adverse of conditions..... and does not need 6 tons of invert to get them through the winter!

Into The Lions Den (ITLD) reports hardly any interest in Amm, except for a few hobbyists. What are you basing this assertion on?

 

[Finman]

Growing interest from the Beefarmers on using the endemic bee... that has adapted to produce highly valued honey even in the most adverse of conditions..... and does not need 6 tons of invert to get them through the winter!

Yeghes da

You cannot say it better, can you....

So, that someone believes you.....

 

[Hivemaker.]

Into The Lions Den (ITLD) reports hardly any interest in Amm, except for a few hobbyists.

I have an interest in them, have an interest in all bees.

Jo Widdicombe and Willy Robson have an interest in them, among a few others, that are way more than hobbyists.

 

[SDM]

I have an interest in them, have an interest in all bees.

Jo Widdicombe and Willy Robson have an interest in them, among a few others, that are way more than hobbyists.

Answered my own question

 

[For want of a better word]

Into The Lions Den (ITLD) reports hardly any interest in Amm, except for a few hobbyists. What are you basing this assertion on?

Does he now?

The BMW salesperson said much the same thing to me when I mentioned Masseratti.


Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

Does he now?

Yes, but I think that was when you still called yourself Icanhopit. Did you ever send him any Amm to test?

 

[For want of a better word]

Yes, but I think that was when you still called yourself Icanhopit. Did you ever send him any Amm to test?

No... because the Amm that I have and are adapted over the last 10,000 years to our ( Cornish) climate would struggle with the miserable conditions up in Murrayshire !

Yeghes da

 

[B+.]

No... because the Amm that I have and are adapted over the last 10,000 years to our ( Cornish) climate would struggle with the miserable conditions up in Murrayshire !

It's only Perthshire, Scotland - not the depths of Siberia!
Well, I wasn't afraid of an honest assessment and sent some of my native Amc for testing. He raised 30 daughters for testing on the heather ( pic.twitter.com/RyAByQyJq0 )....presumably they're showing what they can do up there now. I'm not one to prejudge his assessment though, so, lets see what he says. It won't be long now.

 

[Swarm]

Stop the BS.
Decades of work into Carnica, Buckfast versus what? A sub species which until recently was claimed as extinct.
Should we take it that you resent projects like this?

 

[B+.]

Stop the BS.
Decades of work into Carnica, Buckfast versus what? A sub species which until recently was claimed as extinct.
Should we take it that you resent projects like this?

No. Not at all. However, I can see what is BS and what looks reasonable. I see no evidence of performance testing in anything that's been said. We saw what happened when LASI tried to propagate what they called Amm (but wasn't). It just seems like another BIBBA "smoke and mirrors" exercise....unless there is more you'd like to share with us?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We saw what happened when LASI tried to propagate what they called Amm

They didn't - they claimed they were raising 'Hygienic' queens - Amm were never mentioned.

 

[Beefriendly]

They didn't - they claimed they were raising 'Hygienic' queens - Amm were never mentioned.

Ahh yes....did their hygienic queens ever get over the EFB outbreak they suffered....

 

[B+.]

They didn't - they claimed they were raising 'Hygienic' queens - Amm were never mentioned.

Actually, they were. I asked the lady who was fronting the programme on FB (I can't remember her name). She said they were originally Amm but open mated so they weren't hyping that side. What concerned me most at the time was that they weren't following the standard procedure described on Coloss (i.e. they were allowing twice the amount of time everyone else does for their bees to clear N2-killed brood).

 

[Beefriendly]

for their bees to clear N2-killed brood).

Which might make them hygienic but not specifically varroa sensitive hygienic. A complete waste of space.