Beekeepers of Ireland rise up and protest against the Heritage Bill before all this goes up in flames!
Meet outside Dáil Éireann with Gerry Ryan et al at 12.30 on 2nd March 2017 and let our Senators know we are against this stupid Bill!
The Heritage Bill, due before the Seanad this week (21st February 2017 ) seems to have nothing at all to do with Heritage other than to extend the period landowners or County Councils can burn, cut, grub or otherwise erase the natural bit from the landscape. That natural bit is the bit our bees rely on.
This the part of the bill that will most affect us:
“…permit to the burning of vegetation in March, during such period or periods and in such areas of the State as the Minister may specify. Section 8 also provides for the amendment of section 40 to allow landowners or their agents to cut, grub or destroy vegetation in any hedge or ditch during August, subject to such Regulations as the Minister may make….”
I don’t need to tell you that the gorse (aka furze) is in bloom in March and our bees are all over it gathering vital early spring forage. If it is grubbed out and burnt at all, but especially in March, our bees, wild bees and other insects will all be deprived of a valuable early spring pollen source.
As for cutting, grubbing and burning in August – well I also don’t need to tell you that – although our honey crop may be in, our bees are busily working all the other flowers in the hedgerows for as long as the weather allows in their build up for winter. Blackberry, for one, can flower well into October.
Let’s not forget that the heather will bloom all the way through August and into September. Heather is defined as scrub too.
Hedgecutting usually means decapitating mature hawthorn trees so there will be no flowers for the bees on such victims for several years.
Then there’s other important bee trees – willow and hazel – otherwise known as scrub. We need all of this stuff!
Let’s not forget the ivy either!
This bill is due before the Seanad this week – 21st February 2017 -and beekeepers need to make their feelings known to their TDs, Senators and MEPs before it is all too late:
Here’s the section or the ‘Heritage’ Bill that will have most effect on bees, birds and other wildlife – vertebrate and invertebrate:
Part 3
Wildlife
Section 7 sets out definitions relating to the wildlife primary legislation.
Section 8 provides for amendments to section 40 of the Wildlife Acts. The new provisions under section 8 give the Minister power by Regulations to permit to the burning of vegetation in March, during such period or periods and in such areas of the State as the Minister may specify. Section 8 also provides for the amendment of section 40 to allow landowners or their agents to cut, grub or destroy vegetation in any hedge or ditch during August, subject to such Regulations as the Minister may make.
Section 9 relates to updating references to Inland Fisheries Ireland and to current fisheries legislation.
Section 10 provides for clarification of the powers of authorised officers of the Department and An Garda Síochána under the Wildlife Acts.
Section 11 provides for the updating of penalties for offences under the Wildlife Acts and the introduction of fixed payment notices for certain offences.
The bill in its entirety can be viewed here: https://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2016/216/b216s-memo.pdf
Click here to sign a petition agains this bill
Click here for Birdwatch Ireland reaction to this bill
Click here for AnTaisce reaction
Click here for Bee Flowers in August
Click here for Bee Flowers in March
Click here for more about Gorse
Click here for more about heather
Click here for more about Willow
Click here for more about Hawthorn
Click here for more about Hazel
Copyright © Beespoke.info, 2017. All Rights Reserved.
February 1st is the Feast Day of St Brigid (AD450-525) female patron saint of Ireland.
For us Celts it is also the first day of Spring but you Saxon Dogs will have to wait till March 20th!
For the bees though – read on: Continue reading Bee Flowers – February
Sorry – sold out for 2017
Selected for sweet nature, low-swarming, productivity and Varroa resistance.
Contact info@beespoke.info Continue reading Native Irish Queen Bees
A word of warning to those of you out there with dogs who love to chase sticks. A stick can bounce and slice a dog’s throat all the way down to its shoulder. Continue reading Murphy’s Last Stick
Christmas is one of the four quarter days which mark the changing of the seasons.
The four quarter days are:
They all approximately coincide with either an equinox or a solstice.
The picture above is by Vincent Van Gogh (obviously says you), it lives in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam and is called ‘Wheatfield with Crows’. It was painted in 1890 – possibly his last picture. Vincent didn’t know about climate change or intensive agriculture; if he had, he would probably have cut the other ear off and left the crows out. Continue reading Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020
So, why are honey bees such important pollinators?
From an ecological point of view there are at least 3 reasons:
These features obviously make the honey bee important from an agricultural/commercial point of view. In addition, hives of bees are mobile and can be moved from crop to crop – an arrangement which can suit bees, farmers and beekeepers so long as everyone has a bit of respect. Wouldn’t that be great?
But some detail: Continue reading Pollination and Honey Bees
There really isn’t much about for the bees in November but when the weather permits they really do love the Mahonia for that little bit of fresh nectar.
It hardly seems worthwhile putting this little table in here but let’s do it anyway: Continue reading Bee Flowers – November
Not much for the bees this month!
The gorse is in flower – again. The main flowering time for Ulex europaeus is March to June but it will also flower sporadically in winter.
Another species of gorse present in Ireland is U.gallii or Dwarf Furze which flowers from July to September. Between the two of them they manage to give the impression that the gorse is always in flower.
Click here for more about gorse
Click the table below for a better view. Continue reading Bee Flowers – October
