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Thanks for the pen picture.
He's a very entertaining speaker if you ever get the chance - and his dog normally comes with him. His talk on dowsing is exceptionally good ... and trust me, Roger is about as conventional a beekeeper as they come ... he has some very fixed ideas and whilst he has mellowed over the years there is his way and the wrong way !
 
He's a very entertaining speaker if you ever get the chance - and his dog normally comes with him. His talk on dowsing is exceptionally good ... and trust me, Roger is about as conventional a beekeeper as they come ... he has some very fixed ideas and whilst he has mellowed over the years there is his way and the wrong way !
He's got two dogs now, Nell has be joined by Rosie, a younger version.
 
He's a very entertaining speaker if you ever get the chance - and his dog normally comes with him. His talk on dowsing is exceptionally good ... and trust me, Roger is about as conventional a beekeeper as they come ... he has some very fixed ideas and whilst he has mellowed over the years there is his way and the wrong way !
Fixed ideas are not really my thing, but as he has a dog or two I'll reserve judgment :)
 
Yes I thought that. It's a long time since I saw Roger and Nell was with him then.
The photo of Nell was in 2018 at our Wanstead Apiary, East London, and she looked perky then. Roger gave his dowsing talk to discover preferred swarm locations.
 
He's a very entertaining speaker if you ever get the chance - and his dog normally comes with him.
The last time he came to our BKA he brought Nell. He already had Rosie, and showed pics of her on the screen, but didn't bring her along.

If anybody wants to see Roger's talks on the BIBBA programme, the last series are still available on catch-up. (Links to earlier talks at the bottom of the page.)
 
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The last time he came to our BKA he brought Nell. He already had Rosie, and showed pics of her on the screen, but didn't bring her along.

If anybody wants to see Roger's talks on the BIBBA programme, the last series are still available on catch-up. (Links to earlier talks at the bottom of the page.)

If you watch nothing else in this series of talks everyone should watch the talk on getting bees through winter ... so much good advice.

https://zoom.us/rec/play/hwknxE_SB8...feb782322bcc2231f53ce52f57e3&_x_zm_rhtaid=913
The only thing I disagree with is Roger's dismissive comments on insulation .. he's one of the old school who does not believe in what he terms 'mollycoddling' and his view is that if you have to insulate hives to keep your bees alive then you have the wrong bees ... his comparisons with the nest of a feral colony suggests that they don't insulate ... and yet he keeps bees in thin walled boxes without top insulation although in a hollow tree they have probably the best insulation around and above them. The argument therefore does not hold water..

Virtually everything else is bang on the money and a masterclass in getting bees ready for winter.
 
You can read Jack Hasset's report in the Journal of Apicultural Research, Mark. Off the top of my head, it was something like 96% Amm from 98% tested. Jon's bees are high 90's %, a few of these queens to reinforce the genetics you already have and you have the basis to raise your own 'native' queens.
We have colonies of locally reared bees DNA tested with results in high 80's, the lowest ( with a yellow queen) still showed 64% Amm. The colonies tested were all from locally reared queens, they did not want anything bought in or direct offspring from brought in so there was no cherry picking involved.
 
You can read Jack Hasset's report in the Journal of Apicultural Research, Mark. Off the top of my head, it was something like 96% Amm from 98% tested. Jon's bees are high 90's %, a few of these queens to reinforce the genetics you already have and you have the basis to raise your own 'native' queens.
We have colonies of locally reared bees DNA tested with results in high 80's, the lowest ( with a yellow queen) still showed 64% Amm. The colonies tested were all from locally reared queens, they did not want anything bought in or direct offspring from brought in so there was no cherry picking involved.
Thanks Steve, I'll have a look for the journal can you subscribe to get it?
 
You can read Jack Hasset's report in the Journal of Apicultural Research, Mark. Off the top of my head, it was something like 96% Amm from 98% tested. Jon's bees are high 90's %, a few of these queens to reinforce the genetics you already have and you have the basis to raise your own 'native' queens.
We have colonies of locally reared bees DNA tested with results in high 80's, the lowest ( with a yellow queen) still showed 64% Amm. The colonies tested were all from locally reared queens, they did not want anything bought in or direct offspring from brought in so there was no cherry picking involved.
There are Amm... and then there are Amm!
 
I'm not sure what you are trying to say, Dave. Or is it only Cornish ones count? :)
Just can not see how French Amm can be native to the Island of Ireland?

Hope that the French Turbot caught by a French vessell fishing in UK waters had bones in it!
 
And a few years ago there was a company in Greece sending them over as well🙈
 
Just can not see how French Amm can be native to the Island of Ireland?

Hope that the French Turbot caught by a French vessell fishing in UK waters had bones in it!
If the Irish Amms come from France.. Where do the Cornish ones come from?

Is there none in Scotland?:unsure:

If there's Cornish amms why can I not buy any queen's are they like pixie dust?:rolleyes:

Im trying to build a collection.

Ive heard all this before, it gets a bit boring after a while..
 
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If the Irish Amms come from France.. Where do the Cornish ones come from?

Is there none in Scotland?:unsure:

If there's Cornish amms why can I not buy any queen's are they like pixie dust?:rolleyes:

Im trying to build a collection.

Ive heard all this before, it gets a bit boring after a while..

If you want black near native bees - you should look towards West Wales ... one of our forum members sells wonderful, gentle, small black bees that are hardy (let's face it in West Wales they have to be) and productive - for what you are saving in tobacco you could have quite a few ... you are not that far from the Welsh borders and they should do well in your location - already acclimatised.
 
If you want black near native bees - you should look towards West Wales ... one of our forum members sells wonderful, gentle, small black bees that are hardy (let's face it in West Wales they have to be) and productive - for what you are saving in tobacco you could have quite a few ... you are not that far from the Welsh borders and they should do well in your location - already acclimatised.
Funny that, I've got his queen's and have had a nuc, and I have more nucs coming in the spring.
I thought you new that Philip?
 

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