BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • IMPORTING BEES. Good or Bad?

  • Please Ensure all sale of bees are checked & sold within the correct guidelines, State the location, Type and package/nuc/hive
Please Ensure all sale of bees are checked & sold within the correct guidelines, State the location, Type and package/nuc/hive
 #10196  by Patrick
 10 Mar 2021, 15:45
I only once dealt with what I guessed were imported package bees and queen. A beginner friend on mine had bought them as part of a "start beekeeping" pack from a company that still trades online. The kit was rubbish, the clothing was inadequate, the bees real nightmares and although they had a caged queen present were not very pleasant.

The queen was supplied in a cage and radically different colour from the workers, so presumably from a different source. On release, they killed her. I then turned up and, after some difficulty, got them eventually re-queened with one of mine. They tolerated her a while then killed her. They raised a cell from her eggs and did eventually accept that. Frankly, as a way to start a beginner off it was useless.

So from a woefully inadequate sample of one, the ban on packages will not be keeping me awake at night.
 #10197  by NigelP
 11 Mar 2021, 07:59
MickBBKA wrote:
10 Mar 2021, 00:43


I didn't know there was a register for Buckfast bees, that should be promoted a lot more. Having been in business for 21 years I know that the people who are doing a good job don't need to advertise, I imagine your suppliers probably are over subscribed every year as they are breeding high quality pedigree mongrels.....
Yes most of the buyers of the quality island/station mated Buckfast queens use these to produce open mated queens which they sell to dealers. These "middle men" produce the vast majority of Buckfast queens for sale/imported into the UK. There is no quality control or anything to prevent unscrupulous sellers selling any old thing and passing it off as a Buckfast queen. This is a major issue.
I know Abelo had some problems in this area several years back as their supplier was fobbing them off with so called buckfast queens which were nothing like they should be (I know I bought some!). At least they had the sense to change their Buckfast supplier to someone who could produce the goods.
The even worse problem is the selling of native Amm queens which many are keen to buy. Again, apart from a few recognised producers many are sold unchecked. I knew of people importing black Iberian bees and passing them off as Amms.
 #10199  by Spike
 11 Mar 2021, 12:31
AdamD wrote:
08 Mar 2021, 15:38
As you may be aware, bee imports from the EU cannot take place now.

"DEFRA 8th February.
Since the end of the Transition Period, it has no longer been possible to import colonies or packages of bees directly into Great Britain from the EU. It’s still possible to import queen bees, and in 2020 we imported over 21,000 to GB.
Anyone looking to import bees to the UK should check the guidance available before doing so to avoid importing prohibited material. Any packages and colonies of bees that are imported into GB from the EU would have to be returned to their original location.
Why can’t colonies or packages continue to be imported from the EU into Great Britain?
As we are now outside the EU the legislation has changed and it is no longer possible to import bees (other than queens) from the continent.
We continue to work with the beekeeping sector to support them, as well as working with the devolved administrations given that bee health is a devolved matter."

Nice to see the BBKA website is up to date with a reference of "...in the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU in March 2019"
 #10204  by Chrisbarlow
 12 Mar 2021, 09:29
Alfred wrote:
08 Mar 2021, 17:36
Initial shortage of stock will inflate prices and encourage theft :(
Yup 💯
 #10205  by Chrisbarlow
 12 Mar 2021, 09:33
NigelP wrote:
09 Mar 2021, 08:47
Beware in buying Buckfast, or any other strain for that matter. I once has some ( advertised as gentle) Carniolans that competed with my local bees for aggression. I would have put it down as a one off but friend had also acquired some from same dealer and they were also awful.
When I complained I was told I wasn't keeping them right.
Last time I ever ordered anything from that queen supplier with a lot of ZZZZZ's in their name.
They appear to be stack 'em high sell them cheap merchants.
Research your queen seller and the reputation of their bees carefully.
A "proper" Buckfast breeder will be listed in the buckfast breeders directory where their specific crosses are documented.
Many don't need to advertise as their books are already full of satisfied customers.
https://perso.unamur.be/~jvandyck/homage/elver/archiv.html

Mick your local bees may be gentle and productive but they do appear to be annual swamers, something I usually only come across when my Buckfast's are diluted to 75% local genes (F2's).
Many years ago I once bought an italian queen from a similar online supplier, It was an extremely dark Queen, not at all what I was expecting and she wasn't placid either.
 #10206  by Chrisbarlow
 12 Mar 2021, 09:43
I think banning the import of packages is kinda irrelevant tbh, we didn't import that many when in the EU about 1500 I think last year.

Now queens that's entirely different. Last 25k is the ball park figure. We can still import queens however it's not as easy and there is much more paperwork.

I can foresee shortages and price hikes, whether it's long term, an entirely different matter.
 #10215  by Sipa
 13 Mar 2021, 11:10
Not everyone who breeds great Buckfast Queens is registered on https://perso.unamur.be/~jvandyck/homage/elver/archiv.html
Most beekeepers have no idea how to interpret what is listed there anyway.
Some of those that are registerd produce absolutely useless queens, so don't blindly believe that register is a true reflection of a breeders quality.

Not only that, not every pedigree is what it purports to be.
Just sayin....
 #10216  by Sipa
 13 Mar 2021, 11:14
Chrisbarlow wrote:
12 Mar 2021, 09:43
I can foresee shortages and price hikes, whether it's long term, an entirely different matter.
We fixed our prices back in September 2020 for queens, nucs and full colonies supplied in 2021 and we won't be changing them to take advantage of any spikes in demand.

But it is first come, first served !
When they are gone, they are gone.
 #10219  by Chrisbarlow
 13 Mar 2021, 14:20
Sipa wrote:
13 Mar 2021, 11:14
Chrisbarlow wrote:
12 Mar 2021, 09:43
I can foresee shortages and price hikes, whether it's long term, an entirely different matter.
We fixed our prices back in September 2020 for queens, nucs and full colonies supplied in 2021 and we won't be changing them to take advantage of any spikes in demand.

But it is first come, first served !
When they are gone, they are gone.
you've hit the nail on the head, when they're gone, they're gone.

Also locking them in for this season is one thing, next season will be another...

I suspect by then though the price will be less dynamic. time will tell.
 #10390  by Bobbysbees
 25 Mar 2021, 17:03
Sipa have you ever considered getting into the mail order bees business ? I see that you offer a good range of equipment but considering the lack of mail order nuc suppliers in the UK and the obvious travel restrictions due to Covid. More so here in Scotland. There seems to be a opportunity for a quality supplier to step in and fill the gap.