Swarms or bees

[snimmo243]

Anyway HAS anyone got bees in Bathgate??????

[drumgerry]

Quite right Snimmo. This thread has become quite unruly!

[lindsay s]

Neil
As I’ve said before one of the reasons I’m on this forum is to learn more about beekeeping and to share my experiences. I know everyone has to start somewhere and it’s not my intention to put anybody off or sit in judgement of them. When I first started beekeeping I only had my very good mentor and a few beekeeping books to work with, things have moved on a lot since then. While the forum is great for getting instant answers I still think if you’re serious about beekeeping it helps to read up on the subject whether it’s in books, magazines or the electronic media. Dave was rude and he should remember not to bite the hand that feeds him. And by the way what is the difference between a bee and a wasp?

[Bumble]

Anyway HAS anyone got bees in Bathgate??????

I could probably spare some, but it's a bit too far north for my local mongrels. I can't believe there are no beekeepers near Bathgate.

As for the other stuff. Wikipedia says that bees are a specialised form of wasp - so they must be the same, but different!

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi Lindsay
We should have a book thread
I like the thin entertaining ones like Ron Browns "honey bees" for general info
But "Infectious diseases of the Honey Bee" Les Bailey if full of info and very readable
Celia Davis "the Honey Bee inside Out is really good for the technical stuff
Swarm Control - Snelgrove's "Swarming its Control and Prevention" all the methods not just boards
It's great to collect a little library for the Winter months
SBA members have the huge (Moir) Library they can draw on by post

[drumgerry]

Ach well never mind the exchange and mart thing - looks like we can crack on with just about anything in this thread! On the book front DR - get this. Bought a copy of Laidlaw's Instrumental Insemination book which is out of print from a bookseller through Amazon. Cost £92 but that was the cheapest copy. Was described as like new. It arrived and some of the binding was missing. I complained and the seller was going to give me a tenner back to "compensate" me. I "disagreed" to put it politely and complained to Amazon who refunded the entire purchase price plus I got to keep the book! Result or what?!

[Neils]

Neil
As I’ve said before one of the reasons I’m on this forum is to learn more about beekeeping and to share my experiences. I know everyone has to start somewhere and it’s not my intention to put anybody off or sit in judgement of them. When I first started beekeeping I only had my very good mentor and a few beekeeping books to work with, things have moved on a lot since then. While the forum is great for getting instant answers I still think if you’re serious about beekeeping it helps to read up on the subject whether it’s in books, magazines or the electronic media. Dave was rude and he should remember not to bite the hand that feeds him. And by the way what is the difference between a bee and a wasp?

Lindsay,

I don't disagree with you on most of what you say. The joys of Text based communication, people get the wrong end of the stick, I saw as much if not more rudeness coming from elsewhere. I've re-read the thread and I can see how what I read originally as Dave's not unreasonable request to keep his request on topic, rather than it dissolve into what this has become, might be considered rude. However I think the lecture(s) he received after that to be unwarranted.

I would also address dark bee but as s/he's throwing a strop and leaving the forum, I don't see much point to be honest. To my mind someone who was upfront about being new to beekeeping made a not unreasonable request in a section of forum designed for exactly the sort of post they made, i.e. wanting to obtain bees, but received a lecture for their trouble and the ludicrous suggestion that they're traipsing around the forum as a "self appointed" expert. Rightly or wrongly I felt that we, collectively, were starting to get into the realms of berating a new beekeeper for being new hence I made the post that I did and in response to you rather than Dark Bee as I was making a general point rather than, as has been construed, not having the decency/courage to criticise someone in particular.

One of the great strengths of this forum is that it is generally pretty welcoming to newcomers both to the forum and to beekeeping and in this case I felt that it was starting to tip into an area of condescension that I felt was unbecoming . I was, myself, pretty heavy handed in my critique and for that I apologise.

[drumgerry]

Maybe the time to lock this thread? And we can take our other discussions back to where they belong eh Neil?

[Neils]

I don't like locking threads Gerry, If I knew where to put it I'd perhaps consider splitting the thread out but that can be just as problematic as valuable context is often lost or people don't realise a split has occurred. It's a discussion forum, threads often meander (off topic) and by and large it's not something that bothers us too much. When people get bored or have said all they want this thread, like many before it, will quietly drift off into the sunset.

[gavin]

I'm still 100% in agreement with Neil .