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Subject:
Re: Packages for newbees
From:
Metro Propolis <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 10 Sep 2013 08:29:09 -0700
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This year, I shifted our club's bulk colony purchase from Nucs to packages, based on the following considerations:

1)    No single Nuc source in our region (Calgary) could meet our needs, which necessitated multi-sourcing, and its associated overhead.    Here, packages can be single-sourced.


2)    Some Nuc sources required members to provide their own Nuc-boxes, which lead to a great deal of woodenware loaning and swapping.    Undesireable.    It's my suspicion that it is this that lead to the AFB outbreak among our members in 2012.    


3)    Packages, being broodless and honeyless, inherently have less chance of transmitting AFB, and less initial Varroa load.    Nucs can be highly variable on both fronts, depending on source.


4)    While nucs may build up quicker, packages here have an earlier delivery date.    This allows the new members to get their beekeeping experience started earlier.  


5)    The package purchase was supported by a workshop showing new members how to inspect, transport, and hive a package, as well as first-week care.


6)    For those who really wanted, Nuc-purchases were still facilitated by providing members with a list of sources with whom they could make their own arrangements.

7)    Packages are better for Top-Bar keepers than Nucs, and the the number of Top Bar keepers in our club is slowly increasing.     While I don't necessarily encourage the keeping of top bars, they are members and I take their needs into consideration.


8)    Existing members were encouraged to take responsibility for their own loss replacement via making increase, and this was supported via club workshops/meeting content.


In the balance of things, I found a mixed-solution to meet everyone's needs.     Packages made for the best fit for our club's bulk purchase, but I also appreciated local Nuc offerings, which came just in time for new members getting started a bit later.

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