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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Thanks for that Athol. I have used Thorns in the past and although they are well established and carry a good stock of stuff, they are a bit pricey. I used mostly Maisemore Apiaries in Gloucestershire http://www.bees-online.co.uk. I am sure that they would ship into Ireland but it would be more convenient to just pop up the road . So to speak.
Cheers.

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atholl gow · Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 2:19 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that link I will give them a try. Maybe we have discovered the way to make our first millions, open Irelands first bee mega store!
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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

There maybee something in that. Laughing

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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Reading one of the adds. ie save our bees. How bad is Varroa in Ireland?
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Rebecca · Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

I've been interested in starting beekeeping too. I've signed up for a one day course 'Introduction to Beekeeping' at the Organic Centre, Rossinver, I think its in April, maybe June, and costs about €85 for the day.
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Camile · Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 9:35 am Post subject:

Apparently Varroa must have been bad a while ago because there is now no "native" wild bees anymore ...

But beekeepers gives their bees a preventive treatment .. and you have a "tray" at the bottom of your hive on which you can inspect if you have any in your hive ..

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

I dont know if Irish bees had suffered from "Fowl Brood", or "Isle of White Desease" both of which devistated bees in the UK. When you say wild bees I assume you mean the little black native bee. These are to all intents and purposes extinct from the UK and Ireland and have been so for many years, long before Verroa ever got here. A true strain of the old blacks have been located in Tasmania. They were bad tempered nasty little buggers but did give the whitest wax. Much prized for church candles. So the bees that we have around us are introduced mongrals. They are bigger than the native bee and so need a bigger hive. The old picturesque WBC hive has a brood chamber too small for the new guys. Wink

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Rebecca

Hi all

I did the beekeeping course in Rossinver with Sue Anthony who is based near Ballymote, Co Sligo

She is starting up a new beekeepers association end of this month for the Sligo/Leitrim counties which as yet have no club, so PM me if you'd like notification of when and where.

She is also an agent for the sale of Thorns beekeeping equipment.

I've just done a bee post on my blog with links to the rossinver organic centre and the Western Organic Networks course details at www.sallygardens.typepad.com (WON course 1/3 the price at same venue with same tutor!)

Heres hoping for some bees, closely followed by honey, in the not too distant future!
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Relocation to the sticks.
Moving smoothly from one crisis to the next on our rural Irish smallholding www.sallygardens.typepad.com
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eBooklets ; pigs, goats

Rebecca

Sligo and Leitrim are the only two counties in Ireland that don't yet have a beekeepers association club. Sue Anthony, a highly respected commercial beekeeper, has arranged a meeting at which one or two new clubs will be set up for these counties. If you keep bees, or aspire to keep bees, or even have a vague interest and are curious, please come along to Sues delightful cottage .

Thursday 21st June at 8pm
Sue Anthonys cottage which is 5 minutes from Gurteen, 10 minutes from Ballymote. Phone her on the evening of the meeting for directions on 087 7950204 or PM me. See you there!
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Relocation to the sticks.
Moving smoothly from one crisis to the next on our rural Irish smallholding www.sallygardens.typepad.com
Sustainable Living bookshop, forum and courses
eBooklets ; pigs, goats

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

There seems to be a distinct lack of honey bees in the south east. I say this even though there appears to be plenty of forage for them. This may be due to the small number of local bee keepers or the lack of natural nest sites. Any ideas?

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