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[–] 18 points 1 year ago (5 children)

People praise me up for "saving the bees". Honey bees don't need saving. It's the other bees that do, the hundreds of species of bumblebees, mining bees, solitary bees etc etc. Bees that are outcompeted in some areas due to the number of hobbyist beekeepers and commercial bee farms. I'm one of the baddies.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    I have a wildlife garden with lots of wild plants and insects and stuff. I thought I was helping the bees but I mean just helping some body make artisanal honey to sell to me at the craft fair?

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I've always been interested in the business side of beekeeping, do you rent out for pollination and is it worth doing?

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    We get free use of a spot next to an apple orchard, so I guess pollination is our "rent", plus some honey. I don't know what arrangement commercial beekeepers have - near us they move 60+ hives in when the oilseed rape (canola) is flowering, then move them again when it's finished. A guy I was talking to said they reckon they can break even with 300 hives, because one person can deal with that many. More than that they have to employ someone else, and bang go the profits. Sounds like a nightmare. I struggle to cope with 7 hives!

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