JoJo36 wrote: ↑03 Dec 2021, 07:00
I don't understand the "black bees mantra" being superior to other varieties as surely a mixed gene pool ie "diverse" spectrum of positive attributes is far better than keeping limited local "black" bees which are often swarmy and have other negative attributes??!!
I don't think we ever hear two sides of the argument just the usual reminder of what BIBBA thinks is best for us??!!
I've always maintained that keeping local bees is very area dependent. In some areas they are fine and prolific, Adam and Mick's areas spring to mind. My area they are non fecund, aggressive and very swarmy and not worth keeping. Although that is slowly changing as I inadvertently introduce my good genetics into the local area. Now the locals tend to be fecund but aggressive and swarmy.....so that's 1/3 solved
What I find quite interesting is that Beowulf Cooper The original founder of BIBBA ( Was called Village Bee Breeders Association) had noted exactly the same . Different areas had bees with different characteristics and that generally as one went from west to east the temper increased. This was published in his book "The honey bees of the British Isles".
Where I get really annoyed is the blanket dogma from BIBBA (and others) that we should
all keep local bees. If we did it would condemn many of us to some pretty miserable and unpleasant beekeeping.
I also get really annoyed at the misinformation they spread about imports and the designer, made in Britain Buckfast, hybrid strains. Jo Widicome (past president of BIBBA) argued vehemently with me several years ago that Buckfast bees were nothing more than an Italian Carniolan cross. Such ignorance from such an influential person in that organisation left me rather shocked .