Hi Adrian et al,
 
On the subject of the useful purpose of the internet and the comments made
at Gormanston, may I add my two penneth'.
 
I  was also there at Gormanston and attended the discussion of varroa which
was set up rather impromptually, as a response to the recent discovery of
varroa in Sligo.
 
The panel was made up of 'practical' beekeepers, which is my main point.
Yes, a member of the panel did say to take no notice of advice given on the
internet, and I did wonder whether he was familiar with the BEE-L, or merely
basing his 'knowledge' on experience or rumour of other information services
relating to other topics, where possibly the 'informational' content might
be in question.
 
For example, one might not want to trust sources of information from the
internet that purport to give advice on how to treat a serious human medical
condition, not knowing whether someone who claims to be a Doctor, or
'expert' really is, or, in the case of someone with a similar experience,
whether they truly do have the said experience. You would be better off
going to a doctor, or someone you know. As a generalisation perhaps we would
not disagree.
 
However, I too have had my doubts about some of the anecdotal information
that has appeared on certain bee-related internet groups, and this could be
illustrated by the example given by the contributor who recently recounted
there experience of 'robbing' as a consequence of leaving the honey room
door open for the bees to clean up. It was obvious to me what the results
would be of this practise, yet I have heard people recommend this sort of
practise on the internet.
 
But here I must point out something of importance... I have heard just the
same sort of advice given by members down at my local bee club. It is not
just the internet we need beware of.
 
It is just like when I went to  live in Cornwall many years ago. The first
'local' to pass by told me I was planting my potatoes quite wrongly. I
adapted my method to his. The second 'local' then came through and said what
a mess I was making and that I would never get a crop that way, and asked if
I would like to see how it should really be done. He showed me a completely
different method. And so on... Each was absolutely certain that only his
method would work.
 
It is thus with beekeeping too. We each favour a particular method and that
can confuse  the issue for a newbee who doesn't know how to tell the
difference between 'different' practises and 'bad' practises. Perhaps we
should take it upon ourselves to be more vociferous if we do feel that
someone is advocating a method that is obviously fraught with problems, or
down right dumb.
 
I absolutely agree on all you said Adrian in your mailing, and this is not
meant to stand in opposition to anything you have said. I did hope to
qualify what actually happened at Gormanston, and to assure you that it was
not, in that particular instance, an 'expert' discrediting our invaluable,
practical experience. The context it was stated in was one of genuine
concern that Ireland not be 'seduced' by claims that amount to 'asking the
priest to bless your bees, to ward off varroa', or 'putting garlic in the
hive'. If you know what I mean. I think the main concern of all who were on
the panel was to reinforce the 'seriousness' of the problem of varroa. Based
on my own experience of how, those who didn't take 'effective' measures
against the pest lost there colonies, I would endorse them on this, until
such time as we are truly confident of the success of other methods.
 
Madeleine Pym