What is sustainable beekeeping

[Finman]

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According dictionary sustainable means "production or consumption, what environment can sustain."

I could imagine that too big density of hives on certain pastures is unsustainable, but it will not spoil environment. IT only reduces surviving of bee colonies.

Over grazing of bee pastures is common, but what then....
I notice it mostly at the end of season or too late. Poor yield, not worse than bad fishing trip to Norway.

On dense hive density varroa damages are bigger than in low density. But it has nothing to do with environment..... Or you can count that other beekeepers are part of the bees environment. Like in NZ beekeepers have started to destroy each others' hives.

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[Fritillary]

One or two people I've known seem to think that 'sustainable beekeeping' means that they shouldn't have to pay for anything, including the bees.

 

[Finman]

One or two people I've known seem to think that 'sustainable beekeeping' means that they shouldn't have to pay for anything, including the bees.

That is true. Many of beekeepers are miserly.
They try to save pennies.

Costs of beekeeping is quite big during a year. Driving with car is one of the biggest. Winter sugar is only £ 12/hive. Wintering with honey is £ 200. Combs without foundations is really expencive.
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Economically sustainable is one aspect.
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[Anduril]

Sustainable beekeeping, the ability to produce your own queens and bees, without having to buy any. Also to have a supply of overwintered nucs to replace any winter losses. Have a look at Michael Palmers' you tube video, the sustainable apiary and other videos related to him with other beekeeping associations in the US.

 

[Finman]

the sustainable apiary and other videos related to him with other beekeeping associations in the US.

Term has there different meaning. Huge losses of hobby beekeepers. 50% or more when they do not treat varroa properly. Easy to buy packages, and among them dead rate is even 70% small cell system.

 

[Finman]

Also to have a supply of overwintered nucs to replace any winter losses. .

Very usefull advice is to use poly wall nucs, and not mesh floors in nucs. Nucs grow far more better in insulated boxes than in ply wood boxes. So simple advice, but how many accept that. DIY boxes ruin a good idea.

To do everything yourself may be sustainable, but not wise.

"Nothing is so expencive than poor man's life".
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[Michael Palmer]

To do everything yourself may be sustainable, but not wise.

Why???

 

[Finman]

Why???

Everyone must think himself what he does.

.700 hive owner and 10 hive owner are very different beekeepers. It is rare that 10 hive owners has such mother hives that he gets good queens from them. Inbreeding problems are just behind the corner. Too small genepool.

 

[jay]

Re-using materials

Reusing materials seems a sensible use of money to me. I have some old lead flashing that I am wondering if this could be used to waterproof my hive roofs? I am concerned that the bees may be affected by contact with the lead and the honey might be also affected. What do the experienced beekeeper think?

 

[For want of a better word]

Everyone must think himself what he does.

.700 hive owner and 10 hive owner are very different beekeepers. It is rare that 10 hive owners has such mother hives that he gets good queens from them. Inbreeding problems are just behind the corner. Too small genepool.

Total bunkum!

In UK beekeepers are falling over each other.
Take a UK small city like Plymouth.... 700 colonies in less than 5 miles of each other?

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

Total bunkum!


Yeghes da

Because you do not understand what are inbreeding problems..

And all those mongrels around you?

I bet that most beekeepers change the queen via swarming without doing anything to select. I bet that if guys get an outside swarm, they keep its queen.

that is not queen rearing. Hives can do their queens without any help.
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[For want of a better word]

Because you do not understand what are inbreeding problems..

Elaborate on that.... there are more colonies of bees in the Greater London area than in the whole of Finnland....... massive genepool!

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

massive genepool!

Yeghes da

And the quality is.... Breeding means selection. Not mixing all together. Mixture goes to near average in two years. Mixing does not give to you top foragers.

I bought new genepool from a 1500 hive owner. I would not take any queen from London, even if you pay to me.

I have here too bees, about what I cannot even imagine what is their original race. Nearest bad ass genepool situates in church tower 3 miles away. It has been there decades.
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[For want of a better word]

And the quality is.... Breeding means selection. Not mixing all together. Mixture goes to near average in two years. Mixing does not give to you top foragers.

I bought new genepool from a 1500 hive owner. I would not take any queen from London, even if you pay to me.

I have here too bees, about what I cannot even imagine what is their original race. Nearest bad ass genepool situates in church tower 3 miles away. It has been there decades.
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Pleas SIR...
YOU make the assumption that beekeepers in the UK are not constantly selecting the best, most productive, calmest bees from their own stocks.

Not all of us us import any old bees they can lay their little mits on... even if the reported numbers suggest that we do.

Yeghes da

 

[Finman]

Pleas SIR...
YOU make the assumption that beekeepers in the UK are not constantly selecting the best, most productive, calmest bees from their own stocks

Yeghes da

I have read Uk beekeeping forum over 10 years. I have seen how you pick queens. They are good.

- not to mention a stock which has been the same since Ice Ace.

 

[domino]

Everyone must think himself what he does.

.700 hive owner and 10 hive owner are very different beekeepers. It is rare that 10 hive owners has such mother hives that he gets good queens from them. Inbreeding problems are just behind the corner. Too small genepool.

I'm not sure inbreeding is much of a problem in the UK it is a very dense population. People who breed enough queens to start become selective often swap stock with their own circle of beekeeping friends.

I wouldn't say I have super queens I've raised myself, but they are good enough for me and I can requeen at the end of every summer so all my hives have nice young queens going into winter.

As a hobby beekeeper that is good enough for me.

 

[For want of a better word]

I'm not sure inbreeding is much of a problem in the UK it is a very dense population. People who breed enough queens to start become selective often swap stock with their own circle of beekeeping friends.

I wouldn't say I have super queens I've raised myself, but they are good enough for me and I can requeen at the end of every summer so all my hives have nice young queens going into winter.

As a hobby beekeeper that is good enough for me.

There you go Domino...
a double six!
Nadalek Lowen!
Yeghes da

 

[Michael Palmer]

To get back to the question. Sustainable doesn't mean self-sufficient. The latter means you produce everything without outside influence. No nails, no fuel for the truck, etc. Sustainable in the apiary means the bees and queens you need to maintain your apiary, comes from your apiary.

 

[For want of a better word]

To get back to the question. Sustainable doesn't mean self-sufficient. The latter means you produce everything without outside influence. No nails, no fuel for the truck, etc. Sustainable in the apiary means the bees and queens you need to maintain your apiary, comes from your apiary.

Not from wompopo land!

Yeghes da

 

[Swarm]

To get back to the question. Sustainable doesn't mean self-sufficient. The latter means you produce everything without outside influence. No nails, no fuel for the truck, etc. Sustainable in the apiary means the bees and queens you need to maintain your apiary, comes from your apiary.