What Will happen ?

[ThomasR 75]

My on going concern is if we or when we get other Exotic pests and Diseases such as EFB or Small Hive Beetle, in New Zealand will the face of beekeeping in New Zealand change for the worst ? whats your opinions ? will our industry collapse ?

[Rob Stockley 3,417]

@ThomasR perhaps you would explain what "change for the worst" would mean for you? Kind of get the conversation started in the direction you intended. As it stands it could mean anything from ran out of wax, to my entire operation just got swallowed by the eruption of Mt Wellington.

[Scruffy bee 82]

More maf policies, new management plans. And some very angry beekeepers saying this could have been stopped.

[yesbut 6,230]

will the face of beekeeping in New Zealand change for the worst ?

Of course !

 

 

whats your opinions

Given our past history of morons not obeying rules it's inevitable

 

 

will our industry collapse ?

Probably not

[tom sayn 1,261]

i'm sure there will be also those that do very well out of that.

as my mentor explained me, you can't live of beekeeping but of beekeepers.

[Philbee 4,675]

In terms of collapse there are two sides to this.

The industry could collapse if the bee population dropped below critical mass.

This is a different situation than seeing the bee populations collapse.

[tom sayn 1,261]

This is a different situation than seeing the bee populations collapse.

ah, good. you had me worried there for a moment.

[ThomasR 75]

im referring too honey prices, costs of keeping bees ect

[yesbut 6,230]

im referring too honey prices, costs of keeping bees ect

 

Both of those would be rendered irrelevant by honey imports from China.

[Philbee 4,675]

Limited supply in the face of strong demand can be an interesting situation.

The accepted rules of supply and demand do have their limits and can turn about face.

If the bees get really crook then the industry will shrink and it will be up to some very smart people to manage that.

On the ground I can see some changes in the way bees are managed.

[Philbee 4,675]

Both of those would be rendered irrelevant by honey imports from China.

Yes but pink cat remember that honey is just one product in the bee business.

[yesbut 6,230]

Yes but pink cat remember that honey is just one product in the bee business.

 

You'll have to remind me of the ones that aren't marketed directly back to beekeepers, and then convince me they're significant..

[Daley 4,351]

My on going concern is if we or when we get other Exotic pests and Diseases such as EFB or Small Hive Beetle, in New Zealand will the face of beekeeping in New Zealand change for the worst ? whats your opinions ? will our industry collapse ?

I try not to spend too much time thinking about exotic incursions..

But..

I think the beekeepers who are passionate about their bees will be fine, and probably the Cowboys will crash and burn.

So it may end up being a good thing.

 

I think it would affect our exports to country's that don't already have these diseases being stopped but I think there will always be a market for NZ honey.

 

Probably it will just become less profitable to keep bees and we will have to manage them slightly differently, when I was deciding what bases I wanted to use in my hives I went with mesh because it's supposed to help with small hive beetle so I suppose if you use solid floors you might want to change to mesh before you invest too much money on something you may need to change.

I think most likely we will just need to be inspecting for a couple more things when we do our inspections.

[Philbee 4,675]

I try not to spend too much time thinking about exotic incursions..

But..

I think the beekeepers who are passionate about their bees will be fine, and probably the Cowboys will crash and burn.

So it may end up being a good thing.

 

I think it would affect our exports to country's that don't already have these diseases being stopped but I think there will always be a market for NZ honey.

 

Probably it will just become less profitable to keep bees and we will have to manage them slightly differently, when I was deciding what bases I wanted to use in my hives I went with mesh because it's supposed to help with small hive beetle so I suppose if you use solid floors you might want to change to mesh before you invest too much money on something you may need to change.

I think most likely we will just need to be inspecting for a couple more things when we do our inspections.

As a bit of cat and mouse play Daley Ill make a bold statement.

There is one key to the future of Beekeeping in NZ and you haven't covered it.

Very few people have ever covered it.

Maybe its a secret that is guarded by a lucky few of which Im one.

Can you guess what the key is.??

[yesbut 6,230]

I must ask Robbie, he'll tell me

[Shem 73]

As a bit of cat and mouse play Daley Ill make a bold statement.

There is one key to the future of Beekeeping in NZ and you haven't covered it.

Very few people have ever covered it.

Maybe its a secret that is guarded by a lucky few of which Im one.

Can you guess what the key is.??

That's withholding the bold statement!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mirrors on the hive mats" attrib Nosmo King

[Philbee 4,675]

Its not a matter of withholding a secret recipe or anything like that, but rather an exploitation of an existing phenomena.

This phenomena is one that will come to the fore as time goes on.

Fortunately the resources exist to share this management tool but it will cost the industry a lot of money.

Have a go at working it out,

Why should I spoon feed you lot

[yesbut 6,230]

exploitation of an existing phenomena.

 

Phenomen-a is a plural. Are we looking at more than one or an existing phenomen-on ?

[Derek 1,358]

Phenomen-a is a plural. Are we looking at more than one or an existing phenomen-on ?

 

edit - correction, the Grammar Police have complained that this is not a spelling mistake, but a grammar error. My bad, sorry.

 

[Derek 1,358]

Its not a matter of withholding a secret recipe or anything like that, but rather an exploitation of an existing phenomenon.

This phenomenon is one that will come to the fore as time goes on.

Fortunately the resources exist to share this management tool but it will cost the industry a lot of money.

Have a go at working it out,

Why should I spoon feed you lot

Some people may not be on the same wavelength and need a little more explained than others - me for example, as I'm not a beekeeper!

[Jas 438]

I personally think available forage for bees is more of a limiting factor for the beekeeping industry than managing disease . Sure the cost of disease management is huge , and will only go up with any more incursions , but once we reach saturation point with hives , then we will reach a upper limit to honey production . Weather will be a big player as to the available crop each year , but those with access will

have the box seat , as we are already seeing .

[Philbee 4,675]

I would estimate that <3% of apiaries in NZ require a minimum response to varroa.

So what does that 3%or less do or have that the rest dont have or do?

[Philbee 4,675]

I personally think available forage for bees is more of a limiting factor for the beekeeping industry than managing disease . Sure the cost of disease management is huge , and will only go up with any more incursions , but once we reach saturation point with hives , then we will reach a upper limit to honey production . Weather will be a big player as to the available crop each year , but those with access will

have the box seat , as we are already seeing .

Good quality forage is actually part of it.

All farmers know that livestock with good grass under their feet and the sun on their back, will thrive.

[Rob Stockley 3,417]

I would estimate that <3% of apiaries in NZ require a minimum response to varroa.

So what does that 3%or less do or have that the rest dont have or do?

Could it be relative isolation?

[M4tt 4,941]

More clues please