Hallo all!
It takes some lines to explain, why I am a lurker, so far, and why I
would miss Bee-List if it didnt exist: it should be created if it
wouldn’t be there! I love the international nature of replies and
orientation. Am a beekeeper in Europe/The Netherlands. I experienced
black bees in Russia/Ural Mountains, brown bees from the Island Laesoe
(between Danmark and Sweden). I experienced the Californian Ligustica
in India and once in Thailand, the New-Zealand Ligustica in Canada
(Alberta). (I watched them in New-Zealand as well!). I work regularly
(last couple of years) with the Adansonii in Cameroon. Between these
(sub) types and races are a lot of differences. Regularly threads on
Bee-list help to modify, due to international replies.

What I came to learn: All beekeeping is local. A lot of beekeepers do
not understand this. Also a lot of bee books do not reflect the
consequences of that statement either: they simple describe
"honeybees". I suggest authors should start describing which type of
bee is in their bee yards and are managed (and selected!) by them. It
is the trap in which we are caught in Central - Europe: nearly all bee
books in the German language are describing beekeeping with the
Carnolian bee, which is not explicitly explained and is cause of a lot
of confusion for beekeepers: management is quite different with the
Carnolian bee, Ligustica (Buckfast) or Black Bee. Another observation:
I once ran into a book written for Russian beekeepers, describing
different types of honeybees, to be used under different
circumstances. I bought it in India: I learned a lot about management
and profited. Why did I have to go to India to find it? In India,
(where the Western honeybee came parachuted) they didn’t understand a
word of it, by the way!)

I experienced: There is a wide gap in knowledge and practice between
the common beekeeper in Europe and elsewhere. A gap that is often not
realised. Following threads on the Bee-list is narrowing that gap. I
will raise some questions in future, for sure.

Geert van Eizenga
The Netherlands
--

Green Bee Consultancy
Drs.Geert Van Eizenga
Marnelaan 41
9727 DS Groningen/Holland
Tel.+31 505278909
Mob. +31616424299

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