Unbeleavable what some people can do....

[Ando]

Hi All

I don't post on here that often just read most of the threads, but thought I'd share this with you as I was quite shocked, but I guess it happens and always will do.

I sold an extractor to a older chap via a car boot sale the misses did a few weeks back, anyway he ended up with my phone number. when I first spoke to him he told me he'd got the bees in a hive from a chap in Melton Mowbrey, he hadn' by the sounds of it so I pointed him towards the local BKA thinking he would go to them and get some training/ info and that was that.

Then last week he phoned me to say he had bees everywhere in his hedge, so I told him they were swarming and did he have something to collect them in, no was the answer to all the suggestions I made, I couldn't go over as I was at work and about to go into a meeting, so I told him to leave them they would move on on there own in a few hours. Not the best solution but when I asked him if he had looked through them since he got them, he said no the guy he got them off told him not to look at them for a month or so. I told him he needed to look through the hive and see if they were queen cells he asked me what they looked like

So I went over yesterday to have a look through them with him and try to show him the different cells etc. found a dozen or so queen cells that were hatching as we looked through, I removed a queen and put it in one of my hive so he has a back up if his fails to mate etc.

I asked him about where he was getting his info from when he started he has a book but doesn't sound like hes read it, the guy who sold them to him got £400 for a old ply hive with One super with frames and 2 empty ones, but he did get a bee suit, cheap one and thats it.

I also asked him when I got there if he had any kit, you guessed it apart from the suit he hadn;t got a thing.

I feel sorry for the guy and can;t beleive that someone would sell bees with out frist asking if they knew what they were doing or at least if they were new to bee keeping, were having or have had some training before.

I'm amazed and annoyed that someone could sell bees in this way.

What do you guys think?

Cheers

Ando

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Unfortunately I think there are many people out there willing to make a fast buck out of new beekeepers. I also have a strong suspicion that that is where many of these stolen hives end up.

 

[For want of a better word]

We once rescued a Barn Owl from a guy who had bough her in "on a whim" from a bloke in a pub!
Poor thing was left on its own all day in a dingy back bedroom, with the occasional dead chick thrown in to feed on... needless to say the place stank!

I homed her in a large avery and fed her well and regularly, kept her for 3 years and she was hand tame despite the maltreatment she had been delivered at the hand of man.
Eventually she was homed with an owl sanctuary.

I met a lady some time ago who bought bees in a top bar hive and wanted rid of them because the girls stung her, her child and dog, every time she opened the hive to" feed them!!... on icing sugar!
No suit. no common sense...unbelievable!

 

[viridens]

I understand your point and agree that it shouldn't happen, and that poor chap parted with too much cash, but I also remember that I didn't ask to see a driving licence the last time that I sold my car...

 

[drstitson]

you don't need a driving licence to own a car just to drive one!!!!

 

[will]

I live in the same town, the town is not that big but not heard about this, but I did here there was a big swarm going through the town last week.

 

[Frisbee]

The thing is Ando........why should the seller make sure the buyer is up to scratch? It's up to us as individuals to help ourselves. I'm not condoning the seller here (oh and it's nothing to do with me) it sounds like he's seen a mug coming and doubled the price.

At the moment I'm helping some people out who have been beeks for longer than me but frankly haven't a clue. But they have at least been on the course.

Two years ago the landlord from the local came talking to me about bees and keeping them, I said to join the local ass and go on a course...he immediately threw his hands in the air and said 'Oh no...don't tell me to go on a course, I hate those' Well, I suppose I could have charged him a lot of money for a few days with my bees, but I'm not like that, but neither am I prepared to help him if he couldn't help himself.

Some people are and always will be useless....impractical....idealists.....mugs! It never ceases to amaze me how they manage to get themselves out of bed in a morning and do a full day and then put themselves back in it again at night.

It's not your problem......you just sold the extractor (unless you can see a hive of bees coming your way pdq ) and the bees will likely look after themselves.

Frisbee

 

[huntsman666]

Seems some people don't care or understand; 'Duty of care.'

 

[For want of a better word]

Seems some people don't care or understand; 'Duty of care.'

We had a shop retailing scuba diving equipment in S London.... and would never knowingly supply anyone with kit unless we were sure they were trained to use it

.... then along come PADI
​

GLAD WE DID NOT SELL PARACHUTES !!!

​

 

[RoseCottage]

Did we just witness a cheap BSAC shot??? I must be on the wrong forum

Having initially been PADI trained and now past 3,000 dives all over the world I was fortunate to be PADI'd. I did visit BSAC clubs and still do and many have an even more parochial set of views than us beeks!!!





Sam

Ps I use to sky dive a lot as a younger boy but did have a pretty terrible accident when on a jump...so took up nice and safe diving...

 

[stilllearning]

unfotunatly if your selling bees and someone comes along without a clue and you don't sell him/her any, someone else will

 

[Mike a]

Ando

Sounds like you just made a friend and became a mentor.

Nice to know there are a few nice people in this world still who are willing to help others.

 

[m100]

.... then along come PADI

Where does NAUI come on your list?

(although I've not been underwater for nearly 20 years)

 

[RosieMc]

Is it possible that the hive etc may have been stolen? The person who sold it to him sounds untrustworthy.

 

[Ely]

I said to join the local ass and go on a course

Funny you should say that, there was a donkey wearing a veil and holding a smoker at my course too!!

 

[MuswellMetro]

in the last year, here in London , i am quite surprised about the number of new beekeepers are getting package bees from Gloucester with Slovakian queens or who are waiting for nucs from Weald place farm

most having place orders after reading adverts in the gardening press or fleabay with only two days winter training ( if any)

i hope it does not go Ape Sh*T and backfire on good beekeepers

i can see it in the news of the world headline "Hitchcock Horror plague of the Bees kills Baby"

 

[Polyanwood]

I agree with Frisbee. I won't sell bees to people who haven't got a clue and don't want to learn. I also blame stupid people for buying bees when they don't know how to care for them....you know I like horses but I wouldn't try to put one in my suburban garden....a fool and his money is soon parted.

I agree with MM too. Why do people buy off adverts in papers and tinternet when they have no provenance? These bargains are often dodgy, stolen or at best imported packages. Most BKAs will make bees available cheaply to competent new members. I see people buying nucs without laying qeens and very few bees for twice the cost they could have got a perfect nuc from the association.

 

[Dishmop]

It never ceases to amaze me how they manage to get themselves out of bed in a morning and do a full day and then put themselves back in it again at night.

and they are usually the grossly overpaid ones...

 

[greatbritishhoney]

i hope it does not go Ape Sh*T and backfire on good beekeepers

i can see it in the news of the world headline "Hitchcock Horror plague of the Bees kills Baby"

This is my worry too. Media interest in Bees Vs Varroa is starting to wane and it wouldn't take much for Killer Bees to become the next big media story.