Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Lacewing]

Have just read this on the BBC's website, referring to deformed wing virus and nosema c.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26242960

Note:

"Writing in the journal Nature, the team says that beekeepers should keep their honeybees as free from disease as possible to stop the spread."

and

"We have to, at national and international levels, support management policies that enable our beekeepers to keep their bees as free of diseases as possible," Prof Brown said.

"The benefits are not just to the honeybees, they are to the wild bees as well."

!!

- Although the researchers also want to investigate whether neonicotinoid pesticides are playing a role in problem.

[biobee]

Typically, Dr David Aston of the BBKA is the first to jump in to tell beekeepers to use 'authorised medications' rather than raise an eyebrow against the obvious culprit - Bayer's neonicotinoids, undermining the immune response of bumblebees as well as honeybees.

[Gareth]

[Lacewing]

I've so far met beekeepers who treat, and those who don't, and those who agonise about whether they should or they shouldn't, and if so, with what, and when, etc.etc. And most seem to wonder if they're doing the right thing. What I haven't met is one who thinks they should be doing something but hasn't bothered, or one who doesn't care.

David Aston was also in a position here to show some support for beekeepers, in various ways but...! Can you imagine a spokesperson for farmers not supporting them, if they were held responsible for the spread of disease in wild animals?

To see it more or less suggested to the public that it lies within the power of beekeepers in the first place to control these diseases and their spread in other bees too, by following certain guidelines, and in the second, to have it pretty much implied that it's due to negligence or lack of care that some don't follow those guidelines, is just infuriating.

[maskerade]

BBC Inside Science had a large section on this too. You can find it on iTunes Podcasts, 20th Feb episode, ( just caught up with it today in the garden!)

They also state that we have lost ALL wild bee colonies in the UK as well as massive increases in losses of hives (around 30% off the top of my head) and implied that the beekeepers being heavily monitored.

Would love to know if people here think this is true as I was hoping to introduce myself to the world of beekeeping with a few bait hives this year

Media hype?

[Gareth]

[maskerade]

That is very nice to hear Gareth !

[B kind]

[Gareth]

[B kind]

Thanks for your reply Gareth.

I am keen to develop an understanding of the key factors to success for small or late swarms. I shall continue on a new thread though.

As for the threat to bumblebees from honeybees. While I am sure it will be well-intentioned, in my opinion it is more likely to be used as an argument to further monitor and advise bee-keeping activities (along modern and conventional lines) rather than tackle real threats such as imported bees and modern intensive farming and bee-keeping methods.

Kim