There is such a wide variation in what a "hobbyist" is.


Recently, I've seen a significant shift in what it means to be a "hobbiest" even in my own area.


5 years ago, our hobbyist group was made up of a fairly static group of keepers who had already been at it for a while.    They tended to have a strong foundation of experience, which they favored over innovation.      A few actively pursued new knowledge, but most stayed with what they knew.


This has shifted sharply over the last few years.  We've lost a lot of older members, while at the same time, the world beat a path to our doorstep to help save the bees.      These newcomers tend to favor innovation over foundational knowledge.    The result of this horse-before-cart approach is an inevitably high failure rate.    Those that persist past the two year mark are few, but are typically skilled and able keepers.

Meanwhile, the mess is further complicated by the arrival of eco-entrepreneurs on the scene, who are selling courses and colonies to anyone green enough to recycle their own empties.     The end result is a lot of dead bees and a spike in nuisance beekeeping in out city.
Many of these hobbyists are seeking "natural" methods and end up practice some form of well intentioned neglect, where a swarmy hive that gives 10 lbs is what passes for success.

Others, through a misapplication of John Kefuss' "Bond Method" are trying to re-route course of evolution, two dead hives at a time.

Speaking of which, most of the loss replacement in our city is facilitated by resupply from commercials.....    

The hobbiest world that I inhabit is in a period of transition, and while I believe there are good things ahead,
I wouldn't expect any mountains to move in the near term.

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