Why do people import queens?
by Neil on Mar.14, 2010, under Beekeeping, Beekeeping News, Bees
I just dont understand it! Why oh why get a queen from abroad? I mean what possible benefit can be gained from doing so, or is it easier to get queens from abroad? Im not sure I mean how difficult is it to phone your local beekeepers association and see what they say? Failing that a chat with local beekeepers should provide fruitful and perhaps queens can be found at no cost.
Not only that if you find a queen locally it gives you a chance to see the hive and discuss with the owner the temperament and other traits.
The Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Associations (BIBBA) are offering to help beekeepers to rear queens that are more suited to their geographical locale. The areas covered are England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
All the National BKA’s advise to source bees locally and NOT to import. The reasoning is that the bees may carry disease and pests but are also unsuited to live in the country’s weather conditions.
There are still experienced beekeepers who think that all bees are the same! This is not the case and bees can be more suited to certain weather conditions or forage availability.
So we are all in agreement that bees and their queens should be sourced locally. So the Local Queen Programme is being setup to encourage beekeepers to raise their own queen from the best thats available in their locale. Your local BKA will hopefully play a big part in this scheme and help you every step of the way.
The aim of the scheme is a pyramid system with member beekeepers in the base with them teamed with a local BKA doing the propogation of queens. It is also hoped that specialised breeding groups will form locally with a more keen interest in this area of beekeeping.
BIBBA has annouced it will help local BKAs. More info can be found on their website and lectures and tuition is available.
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April 3rd, 2010 on 5:03 pm
Actually, it’s not that easy! With the current interest in bee-keeping, local experts are getting overwhelmed with demand!
April 4th, 2010 on 3:58 am
I guess this is true to a certain extent but importing of Queens has been going on for a long time not just recently, so why have people been doing it up until now. I realise that today beekeeping is more popular than ever and a lot more people are getting into it, which is good. However if they are responsible and really care about bees and want to make a real difference then they will spend that little extra time getting native bees!
Also if the local BKA cant organise themselves to produce enough to fulfill needs then its either REALLY busy or a lack of communication. I think the Fife BKA has had record interest this year and needs something like 60 nucs, I think they have just contacted beekeepers like myself and asked if would like to supply a nuc, and you get paid for it too!
April 8th, 2010 on 2:00 pm
Here in Norway it is forbidden to import queens due to risk of diseases. How are you making sure that the imported queens are healthy in the UK?
April 8th, 2010 on 2:37 pm
Well Norway has the right idea. We have no laws governing the importation of bees! Can you believe that Kamil…no government in the UK seems to view bees as important! Its a complete joke!
I would ban it completely like in Norway. All we have in UK is guidelines which have no legal force, so pretty pointless really.
April 8th, 2010 on 2:43 pm
I found this document which is the guidlines to importing Queens into England: click here
July 1st, 2010 on 2:28 pm
There doesn’t seem to be anyone in the UK obviously supplying VSH queens. Could this be the reason?
July 1st, 2010 on 3:14 pm
But are the foreign Queens VSH or are they just saying that? The breeding programme is still in its infancy so thats why you wont get “VSH” advertised. Foreign bees are having a hard time over here, I stand by our native bees, especially in Scotland.
July 7th, 2010 on 11:34 am
native queens only for me!!! they are adapt to our climate etc…no need to import!