******* (without prejudice )

[fincaazul]

A likeable man really personable. I have dealt with him twice. First time supplied a nucleus with Queen cells, yes sent another Queen who was rapidly rejected, told me I would have to 'put my hand in my pocket'. Reminded him that his sales conditions say that if you you do not get what is advertised he will replace it. Collected replacement Queen and was accepted. My brother had nuc. from him in june and rapidly found hundreds of bees crawling outside the hive with deformed wings caused by varroa infestation. Queen was not marked and there was as snail on the combs. E-mailed ******* detailing varroa drop rate and was told to tell my Association , among other things, that the drop rate was not 9 but 9000. Visited local apiary today and discovered that a couple of years ago he burnt all his hives and bees ' due to flood damage '
Anecdotal evidence is he now imports all his bees and queens, various bee forums have answers to the reason that hatching brood is a different colour to the original nurse bees, 'the nurse bees are Australian '. After being in the business for some 30 years, he became a Limited Liabilty Company late last year. Anyone with experience of this company?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Anyone with experience of this company?

Admins thought police have expunged the name, but is he in gloucester?

 

[fincaazul]

yes

 

[Mike a]

I don't want to appear rude Fincaazul, but if you search the forums you will find a few threads on this topic. I won't deal with them again and I'm sure many other members of this forum feel the same.

 

[MuswellMetro]

yes

WEll i assume the answer must be EASY, as there are other threads from beeks that have had the same problem


Geoffrye

 

[Midland Beek]

I doubt very much that he has disposed of his stocks, but it is common knowledge that he lost some during the floods a few years ago.

I understand he no longer breeds his own queens, but instead imports them. Can't understand why he didn't do that years ago.

 

[m100]

Somewhere, maybe on the BBC news website or Youtube there was a video of a big beekeeper in the Gloucestershire area that, under threat of eviction from his apiary /orchard, put a large number of them on a fire and burnt them. Maybe a publicity stunt but some would question why he really burnt them...

<censored because the smilies I was going to use could have been viewed by those dressed in suits as getting a bit too close to the truth>

 

[Midland Beek]

Somewhere, maybe on the BBC news website or Youtube there was a video of a big beekeeper in the Gloucestershire area that, under threat of eviction from his apiary /orchard, put a large number of them on a fire and burnt them. Maybe a publicity stunt but some would question why he really burnt them...

He burnt a couple of old boxes that were no good and a few frames.

 

[m100]

He burnt a couple of old boxes that were no good and a few frames.

That wasn't the impression I got from the video. In hindsight he might have been better burning the lot...

 

[johna]

Fincaazul were the nurse bees yellow ? and the Q supposed to be Carnolian??.Did the Q come in a Butler cage from Eastern Europe ?.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I recall seeing the video and the rant on it and thought it a bit odd.... You hear good and bad I suppose. My bees and queens are local gals and that's the way I like them uh huh uh huh.

 

[Hivemaker.]

If anyone has a problem with Mike i suggest they go chat with him,sure he would give you all the help you needed, can sometimes be a little bit blunt.....but he's no longer on the forum.. so you cannot reach him this way.

 

[Poly Hive]

FWIW I hve dealt with Mike on two levels. I rented him a pretty costly bit of kit which he returned to me in pristine condition, then said he hadn't actually had to use it but paid the agreed rent with a smile.

I spent a fair bit with him last year buying bees and he supplied me with some lovely nucs and packages about which I could not complain at all.

Others seem to have a different experience with him, but I speak as I find.

PH

 

[madasafish]

My first nuc was from this gentleman.

Super bees, well behaved and growing like mad. A satisfied customer.

 

[Stiffy]

I bought a Nuc of him last year and found that they were loaded with varroa but once treated blossomed and wintered well. I found the guy fine to deal with a little abrasive but then cant we all ?

On the downside I wish I hadn't bought the bees as they managed to spend all year trying to produce more bees and swarming but bxxxxr all honey.

I am glad I have other hives that are more productive and lees swarmy and of course it could just be the way I keep my bees, others may find Carnies to be just fine.

 

[rae]

Both of our original colonies were his nucs, and both have been brilliant. Satisfied customer here. Agree that the "user interface" does present challenges.

 

[roche]

My first nuc from from him as well. I'd say rough diamond. But I do see a common theme here - they tend to be swarmy don't they....

 

[Somerford]

His apparent abrasiveness is because he is rather deaf and therefore appears to shout at you !!!

 

[Hivemaker.]

His apparent abrasiveness is because he is rather deaf and therefore appears to shout at you !!!

Unless you mention the word cash.....instant fix to the hearing problem.

 

[fincaazul]

nurse bees very attractive yellow colour, Queen ' Carnolian ' ( this should be Carniolan ) imported but don't know where from, in a plastic cage. Hatching brood much darker than 'nurse bees'