Wild Bees in the garden.

[drex]

I run mainly Nationals and these get weekly inspections in season and two specific disease inspections a year.
I also run a Warre and TBH, which I mainly let do their own thing.
Am I an irresponsible " bee haver "?

 

[Boston Bees]

I run mainly Nationals and these get weekly inspections in season and two specific disease inspections a year.
I also run a Warre and TBH, which I mainly let do their own thing.
Am I an irresponsible " bee haver "?

Depends on your definition of the word "mainly"

As long as you do check them for disease and starvation on a reasonably regular basis, no.

Although if you do nothing at all to prevent swarming that is pretty irresponsible.

Bees, once we put them in hives, become livestock. Just like with cows and sheep, you can take a fairly hands off approach if that's your thing and if the specific breed permits it, but never completely hands off.

 

[user 20297]

........... you can take a fairly hands off approach if that's your thing and if the specific breed permits it, but never completely hands off.

........but did @Erichalfbee originally put the bees in the "wild" box? If you put up a box and bees choose it and then you leave it alone; is that any different than putting up a bird box and letting them live a natural life.? Does a sparrow become domesticated and my responsibility for life when it chooses my bird-box?

Having said all that and implying support for the idea of Dani's leave-alone bee-box, I agree with you that there is no reason why anyone who has a lesser public profile as a good and responsible beekeeper should be judged in a less benevolent way for having just the one intentionally "neglected" colony of bees.

 

[IndiBee]

There is a chap I visited last weekend who has an apple orchard. He also has 10 or so hives. Sticks supers on, takes supers off. Never "interferes with the nest".
He says he has never been without bees and hives occupied most of the time vary from 10 to 5.
I was a bit stunned. But it works for him, his apples and apparently the bees.
He was a bit of a character. And in his broad welsh accent I will not forget his words "these modern beekeepers overthink things"

 

[pargyle]

There is a chap I visited last weekend who has an apple orchard. He also has 10 or so hives. Sticks supers on, takes supers off. Never "interferes with the nest".
He says he has never been without bees and hives occupied most of the time vary from 10 to 5.
I was a bit stunned. But it works for him, his apples and apparently the bees.
He was a bit of a character. And in his broad welsh accent I will not forget his words "these modern beekeepers overthink things"

I would agree with the statement that some beekeepers do over think things at times and mess about with colonies when they should be letting them get on with it. I'm also a great believer in disturbing the brood nest as little as possible.... but... that's as far it goes...if you don't inspect for disease, mite levels and swarming in hives that are managed then I rather feel that is irresponsible....wild bees in nests they have populated that are un-managed and are not kept for their honey ... fine by me

 

[Murox]

Sadly its a part of human nature to be judgemental, I think its to do with feeling morally superior, massaging our own egos, pride and so on, and of course making others appear inferior, one-upmanship. It takes a conscious effort to examine and explore another persons beliefs and methods, most people wont invest time and energy to do that, they take the easier route.

 

[IndiBee]

I would agree with the statement that some beekeepers do over think things at times and mess about with colonies when they should be letting them get on with it. I'm also a great believer in disturbing the brood nest as little as possible.... but... that's as far it goes...if you don't inspect for disease, mite levels and swarming in hives that are managed then I rather feel that is irresponsible....wild bees in nests they have populated that are un-managed and are not kept for their honey ... fine by me

I would/could/should agree with you, but..............it is working for him and the bees that volentarily use his facilities.
Mind you, the swarming of bees is not something I have ever seen the argument in.
Its nature. if nature causes a few problems to humans, so what? I just don't see why we want to bend nature to OUR wishes all the time. We cause more problems for nature.

 

[hemo]

Allowing swarming may be OK in the sticks but in built up communities, it becomes a nuisance rather then just nature occurring.

 

[IndiBee]

Allowing swarming may be OK in the sticks but in built up communities, it becomes a nuisance rather then just nature occurring.

Yeh nature is a 'nuisance'................ for now - not for long at the rate we are going

 

[Boston Bees]

Yeh nature is a 'nuisance'................ for now - not for long at the rate we are going

Though I'm not convinced that, once we gather a number of colonies in one garden, in man made boxes, we can call the result "nature".

When livestock break out of a badly fenced field, or a bunch of pet rats escape from a run and make a nest under a neighbours house, do we shrug and say "ahh, it's nature though"?

No, we apologise, collect them, and take steps to be less negligent in future.

 

[IndiBee]

Though I'm not convinced that, once we gather a number of colonies in one garden, in man made boxes, we can call the result "nature".

When livestock break out of a badly fenced field, or a bunch of pet rats escape from a run and make a nest under a neighbours house, do we shrug and say "ahh, it's nature though"?

No, we apologise, collect them, and take steps to be less negligent in future.

Domesticated livestock is quite a different matter IMHO

 

[Boston Bees]

Domesticated livestock is quite a different matter IMHO

The people having to fork out hundreds to get your bees removed from their chimney may not appreciate the finer points of this distinction.

 

[Patrick1]

Apiary in the garden
This is a box about a 14x12 and a half fifteen feet up a pine tree at the bottom of the garden.
There have been bees in it for three years.
There has been one prime swarm from it which went into a bait hive and is now in the apiaryView attachment 26974

Perfect, just proves what Tom Seeley and others say about keeping bees at 5mts plus

 

[hemo]

Colonies in built up communities need managing, and swarm management is required if you don't want to become the Black sheep locally. The odd swarm may escape but one can't just ignore the issue even though it is a normal for them to propagate. They can still propagate with the beekeepers help.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Colonies in built up communities need managing, and swarm management is required if you don't want to become the Black sheep locally. The odd swarm may escape but one can't just ignore the issue even though it is a normal for them to propagate. They can still propagate with the beekeepers help.

Clip your queens

 

[hemo]

Yes queen clipping gives initial insurance, the beekeeper still needs to deal with that which ensues within the colony.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes queen clipping gives initial insurance, the beekeeper still needs to deal with that which ensues within the colony.

Yes but if inexperience lets him down at least he can get into the colony and remedy things. It’s that first swarm that catches people out.

 

[North End Bees]

Perfect, just proves what Tom Seeley and others say about keeping bees at 5mts plus

What does Seeley say about keeping bees at 5m plus?
Apart from that they have as high levels of varroa as any other colony even if the tree they are 5m up in is in the middle of nowhere.

 

[user 20297]

What does Seeley say about keeping bees at 5m plus?
Apart from that they have as high levels of varroa as any other colony even if the tree they are 5m up in is in the middle of nowhere.

That presents some interesting questions; for instance, who knows for certain that they have high levels of varroa? Even if they do, they are still surviving...not necessarily making surplus honey but also not being dependent on being gassed at every opportunity.

 

[North End Bees]

That presents some interesting questions; for instance, who knows for certain that they have high levels of varroa?

Well Seeley did, because he looked in at them.

But actually I did say as high as any other colony.