Co-op Imports New Zealand Bees

[Bumble]

Rather unfair criticism as as far as I know there is no one in the area with bees apart from one other person who is running bees I supplied him with.

Then you must live in a very remote area of the East Midlands, because even where we live there are around 150 registered apiaries within the 10km DEFRA radius.

The carnies produce nice colonies and I have no issues with selling them on. I am honest unlike some and tell them what to expect and give my number for advice? I am no snake oil merchant for info.

The heading of this sub-forum might give you a clue as to why you are being challenged on your enthusiasm for carnies!

Which is why I commented, and also because BKAs in and around my area do their utmost to encourage their members to buy local bees. If new beekeepers are buying locally then they expect to get just that, and not get a colony that's a single generation away from an import.

@ Fatshark. We found the east of Scotland significantly dryer than the west, although coastal areas do get the Haar in the summer.

[Adam]

If a beekeeper is keeping bees in a 'difficult' location, i.e. somewhere that's very wet, cold or both, isn't the best policy to breed from the survivors and losses will reduce over time as bees better adapted to the conditions will survive and even flourish. Then they become native over time.

[Rosie]

I agree with the gist of your post Adam but to me "native" means Amm and something like Amc can never turn into Amm although I accept that it could become just as well adapted as Amm over a long enough time.