Polish Bees: The last straw?

[prakel]

I'm sorry but that last post is simply ridiculous Eric. "Incendiary accident"????? Surely you're joking. And as for name and shame and reporting this,that and the other - no....just no. We need to make imports illegal but to do it using the law. Vigilante actions such as you are suggesting can only bring the people concerned into disrepute or perhaps to a court of law themselves. I for one won't be part of a beekeeping version of the Daily Mail/Sun "string em up" brigade.

Great post. Exactly.

[Eric McArthur]

I admire your pacifist views! But folk who import bees knowing that these bees could carry a deadly parasite, which could have a devastating effect on our fragile honey bee population and honey industry, are laughing at you - they have no social conscience, and deserve no consideration. In the years when Varroa was rife in England and Scotland was free of the mite - a number of irresponsible English beekeepers secretly brought their bees into various areas in Scotland - when they were discovered they were exposed and named - the colonies were destroyed or they were rapidly despatched back South. We managed to maintain Scotland Varroa free until 4th September, 1997 when it was discovered in Dumfries and Galloway. Having been previously found in Canonbie on 28th August. I was editor of the Scottish Beekeeper magazine during these 'trying' years and I remorselesly hunted these stupid, selfish individuals; buying Scotland precious time, while more research produced improved treatments against the scourge! At present there are not one but two petitions aimed a UK and Scottish government import ban circulating. The support for these petitions has been pathetic! I would ask all beekeepers, who are not just bee-havers, but individuals who have empathy for bees and beekeeping to be vigilant and act to safeguard our bees.

[drumgerry]

Clearly you have lost the plot - again. Inciting arson attacks on beekeepers hives! Perhaps it's time for another of your periodic bans Eric. What was it last time? We were all in the pay of the pesticide companies or some such nonsense.

[prakel]

Well, I for one am not much of a pacifist but I do draw the line at witch hunts aimed at 'outing' people who themselves are complying and working within the law as it stands.

If you were suggesting reporting (to appropriate authorities) people who are illegally importing, then fine, that's different; I myself have asked a couple of times on this forum why the people who have knowledge of large scale illegal imports (that we hear about) aren't reporting that information. However, legal or illegal, no one deserves to be on the end of the "odd incendiary accident", these things have a terrible habit of escalating with horrifying consequences very easily.

[mbc]

This threads a laugh, I'm all for a bit of direct action, if we were French we would be threatening Westminster with mountains of live bees by now if we didnt get our way, bravo! Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité,!

[EK.Bee]

Er....they're in England where the SBA has no remit! And rather than upset I think it's probably fair to say we're all a bit worn out and world weary with these endless "let's cash on the disappearing bees" pyramid schemes.

I'm not talking specifically about this company. But there are similar in operation in Scotland
Generally speaking I'm not in favour of more government & regulation however I feel that
something constructive should be considered. As it stands anyone with limited experience
can launch into one of these as you call them pyramid schemes

[drumgerry]

I think perhaps the problem with these schemes lies with the lack of the funders' expertise in beekeeping matters and the fact that they seem to defer to the perceived greater knowledge possessed by the applicants. That coupled with endless media hysteria leads to the funding gravy train we've all witnessed over the last few years. I agree better scrutiny is needed ( not sure about regulation) but where is such scrutiny going to come from to prevent the current free for all?

[Eric McArthur]

Clearly you have lost the plot - again. Inciting arson attacks on beekeepers hives! Perhaps it's time for another of your periodic bans Eric. What was it last time? We were all in the pay of the pesticide companies or some such nonsense.

Ha laddie/lassie;
I am within a year or so of retiring (gracefully?)from the Craft. I hope you are young enough to 'enjoy', a few years from now, the pleasures of working with A. tumida, which you seem to be prepared to accept without demur; imported by some irresponsible, law-abidung, individual who has some knowledge of, but no love for the honeybee Perhaps when you have experienced at first hand the misery this parasite will wreak on bees you might experience a Damascus event - but meantime I can only express my sorrow at the level of your concern for Apis, the wee defenceless creature upon whose person, uninvited we, Homo., have inflicted our will! The law is very often viewed as an ass! A law which enshrines the right of selfish, uncaring individuals to behave badly is such a n ass!

[drumgerry]

A law which convicts people for arson attacks is not an ass though eh Eric?! I have no problem with my level of concern for our bees. You however seem to prefer to live in some kind of Walter Mitty parallel universe where beekeepers set fire to other beekeepers hives. Strangely I prefer to have imports banned using legal methods - as you may have noticed from my years of posting on the subject on here and in my letters to the SBA magazine.

Maybe you should take early retirement laddie. Gracefully? Ahem......excuse me while I choke on the word as applied to you.

[prakel]

No point dwelling on what the French might do. We need to do what we as individuals think is right. For me, the outrageous behaviour advocated earlier isn't the way but each to their own. Threads like this are enough to make a man want to import 50 packages and then advertise the fact on this forum complete with their location....