As a senior UK beekeeper I have been  brought up on keeping bees by
monitoring their health, swarming status, food stocks etc.  on a 10-14 day
inspection basis.    From correspondence to this group  I am unsure that
this is the way that beekeepers in a number of other countries operate.
 
Could  beekeepers outside the UK confirm their actions on the
following  (by personal mail rather than to the news-group):-
 
Do you undertake systematic swarm control measures?
How often do you inspect the health of the  brood area?
Do you know the age of your queens?
Do you tolerate bees with a bad temprement?
How many colonies do you run?
Which country are you keeping bees in?
 
If there is to be a Code of Conduct/Standard of Beekeeping then its
roots must rest in how much our bees effect others, and by default
each one of the above items is critical to keeping bees with minimum
interference to anyone else.
 
I will post the overall results of the above qestionnaire for
everyones benefit.  The more that contribute the more realistic the
results.
 
Thanks in advance.
 
Keith
>>>       Keith JM Hooker       <<<
>>>  Technology Management Ltd  <<<
>>> WHITSTABLE Kent CT5 4ED UK  <<<