Wow! :shock:
That beekeeper must have really good tools. I don't see any clean cut wood, or signs of anything beyond a split section of tree that probably opened up when the tree fell.
I'm guessing the beekeeper went with good intentions. Maybe a new beekeeper who is not well connected or failed to persuade any other beekeeper to tag along and help. Anyways, he shows up, see a fallen tree busted open, with damaged and pancaked comb from when tree fell, and then notices an infestation of SHB also. Maybe the task was too great. Maybe he was not well versed on stringing up comb. Maybe he did not want to drag SHB back to his beeyard....which just may be closer to the next beekeeper (you!) than you think.
Speaking of stringing up the comb, why was it not done by the second beekeeper. He was willing to do not much more than "see" if any bees would end up in his box of placed comb. I don't think the beekeeper did much more than pull out a few smashed and pancaked combs to evaluate the situation, then quickly decided it was not worth the effort. Why does that change for the second beekeeper? He is throwing out the colony just on a smaller scale. Why is he not doing every possible thing to save each and every bee?
I guess it easy to assume the SHB came after the colony was opened. But I've seen many feral colonies that were already infested without being damaged. Maybe he did not want the weak genetics. And as for calling the next beekeeper, why? To pass on problems to the next beginner?
I'm surprised at this point that a youtube video has not been produced entitled "Another ignorant beekeeper!" for all the world to view. Lets trash one of our own for reason we do not know about. Lets put it on a public forum and crap all over ourselves. (Hey, that would make a good smilie!)
I'll give him some benefit and slack. Maybe he does not want to drag all those SHB home. If he was the closest beekeeper to me, I would be grateful. Maybe it was new beekeeper who could not convince the next beekeeper to get off his butt from in front of television. Maybe the hours that he would be taking from his family in time and lost wages , the cost to care, tend and feed, these bees back to a healthy colony, would be too much.
You can trash me too. I may of done the exact same thing if I stumbled upon this scenario. And I bet many others would too. (Only if you could do it without anyone finding out) But that is honesty.....And not throwing stones at a fellow beekeeper who we know nothing about.
The logger had a problem. Was he willing to pay for the service? Or did he just expect a beekeeper to come out and clean up a problem with little benefit, or value to be gained? Perhaps beekeepers place way too much value on expecting every beekeeper to save every colony, no matter the time, effort, or consequences (By dragging home problems).
Just the way I see it.
Topic: So called beekeeper? (Read 2589 times)