3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[beesontoast]

I have just added a new podcast at http://biobees.libsyn.com/ (also on iTunes). This one is especially for new beekeepers who are about to buy their first 'nuc' - something of a cautionary tale!

 

The title of my podcast was intended to refer to beekeepers and bee dealers who are exploiting beginners and endangering our bee population by wantonly importing bees from countries where diseases and pests are prevalent.

 

It was not my intention to offend anyone here, and I have changed the title to something more genteel...

[Old Speckled Hen]

Join your local beekeeping association and get local bees.

I am just embarking on my beekeeping journey and have everything to learn.

One of the first things I will want to do once I have a season or two under my belt is to raise my own queens and even to offer nucs to the association. It's the least I can do.

[beesontoast]

Join your local beekeeping association and get local bees.

 

Yes - locally-adapted bees are what we need to aim for. That means not using chemical treatments and breeding from the best stocks, i.e. those able to survive with no/minimal help.

 

Be careful when buying bees - ask the questions I suggest in the podcast:

 

First - Is this a true nucleus hive, with a laying queen who is the mother of the bees in the colony?

 

If the answer is anything other than an unequivocal yes, I suggest you walk away and look for another breeder.

 

Secondly, where did the queen come from?

 

If she was not raised locally, you can insist on knowing her origins, and if she was imported, I suggest you get a written guarantee that she is free from all known pests, viruses and genetic defects.

 

Thirdly, have the bees been checked by a qualified bee inspector?

 

Whatever the answer to this, I suggest you check yourself with the local bee inspector to see if he has any reason to advise you against purchasing bees from that source, and tell him of any concerns you may have. Remember, bee inspectors are employed to protect our bee population from pests and diseases, and they are almost universally friendly and helpful.

 

Once you have a full season of beekeeping under your belt, I suggest you look further into the process of raising your own queens. It is easy to do - the bees do all the hard parts themselves - and it will free you from ever having to pay money for queens or nucs again.

[Guest]

The last line of beesontoast's post is unfortunately not correct for all. Some bees can be a little feisty when crossed with other sub-types of the species. Some can have downright antisocial characteristics (considering the human requirements here) and would need to moved away from close neighbours, who could be attacked by those bees.

 

Having a number of colonies from which to choose, or select, descendant queens is a distinct advantage over those who only have the one colony. Ymmv.

 

Regards, RAB

[beesontoast]

Some bees can be a little feisty when crossed with other sub-types of the species. Some can have downright antisocial characteristics (considering the human requirements here) and would need to moved away from close neighbours, who could be attacked by those bees.

 

Quite - which is a good reason why we need to limit the foreign strains coming into the country. We already have a situation where there are innumerable random crosses happening between different strains, and some of those crosses will be nasty.

 

At least one of the dealers selling nucs to beginners claims to supply Buckfast queens. They will not be from Buckfast Abbey, which no longer produces Buckfast queens, they will be imported.

 

True Buckfast bees can be very gentle, but anyone who has experience of Buckies crossed out with certain other strains will know that they can be the nastiest bees on the block by some margin. Beginners who buy these nucs are going to find that out the hard way, when their bees supercede and suddenly turn bad on them, and have a serious stinging incident to deal with.

[chickenanne]

Join your local beekeeping association and get local bees.

I am just embarking on my beekeeping journey and have everything to learn.

One of the first things I will want to do once I have a season or two under my belt is to raise my own queens and even to offer nucs to the association. It's the least I can do.

 

I completely agree with sourcing local bees from trusted, known and respected sources.

 

However, there is the issue of high demand for bees both from beginners and as a result of high winter losses suffered even by experienced local beeks. My feeling is that for the current and even next year, propsective beeks will need to be both patient and prepared to accept swarms of unknown origin - better than importing them and can be requeened. I also like the idea of local assocs setting up shared nucs where demand is really significant - groups of 3 or 4 beginners sharing a nuc between them until more become available - this would also relieve pressure on mentors.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Regards, RAB

 

 

Oh I'm sorry

Couldn't resist this picture

I know it's nothing to do with bees

[beesontoast]

[v8landy]

RAB will like that pic he is into old machinery

[Guest]

I have five Oliver 80s. Standards, Rowcrops and industrial. Good tractor in their day.

 

Regards, RAB

[beesontoast]

Is it common practice here to hijack threads?

[Olly]

There's always room for a bit of humour in life, don't you think?

[beesontoast]

Of course - but here it seems to be at the expense of serious discussion.

 

Ah well, there are plenty of other places to talk about bees - I guess tractors don't get much of an airing.

[Old Speckled Hen]

There's always room for a bit of humour in life, don't you think?

Sorry I hijacked the thread

I promise I won't do it again

 

[beesontoast]

You know you will!