Stan

I think you should apologize to African beekeepers for that remark, Peter.
Moreover, I think if you really consider it for a moment you will also
conclude that it is not a very defensible attitude.  It is easy to shoot
off something in a quick email that on further reflection you regret.


Frankly, I simply do not equate bee hunting and swarm catching with modern beekeeping practices. That would be like saying hunting deer is the same as raising domestic sheep. Or going to a palm reader is just as valid as going to a doctor, when you are ill. Hunting and gathering is great as long as the resources hold out. When they fail, it's time to move on or make a few sacrifices to the Great Spirit. 

I have known "bee havers" since the 1970s. These people are agnostic with regard to the inner workings of colonies. They catch swarms like anglers catch fish. (Good thing there are fish hatcheries restocking fish, monitoring pest levels, invasive species and water quality). Don't get me wrong, a lot of the bee havers are great carpenters, and have design novel wax melters, etc.

The bee havers sometimes harvest 300 pounds per colony per year. They do great until they get a good case of AFB and get wiped out. I have even seen them put new swarms into diseased equipment *year after year*. Some of these people practice willful ignorance, claiming that all our woes are due to science, etc. Treat the bees right and they will provide. 

Really, my interest lies elsewhere. I would rather discuss the social structure of colonies, how it is regulated by chemical signaling, or what is the significance of high levels of recombination in Apis. I have written about these topics in the ABJ but I guess those are the types of pieces that some folks use to put themselves to sleep. 

Finally, I do not hold any positions of importance so I don't have to be concerned whether my remarks are defensible or not. The opinions expressed here represent the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of those who hold other opinions. "Non, je ne regrette rien"

PLB

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