Bees wanted for 2011

Hi Folks,

I'm a newbie bee enthusiast and a newbie forum user rolled into one.

I have joined the SBA, been along to the Glasgow Beekeepers meetings, chatting to some very well informed gents and sat through a beginners beekeeping course. Nothing I heard has put me off and I now feel suitably educated and enthused to take the plunge and start beekeeping next year. Next step, get some bees.

I am looking to source a nuc from someone local (I am Glasgow based). Can anyone help? I will pay (although my funds are quite limited).

Simon

Hi Simon,

Lovely to see more bee keepers in the area. I'd recommend coming along to the CABA meetings as it will give you the opportunity to meet a wider group of bee keepers, lots of different idea's and hopefully more chance of gaining a contact who can help you out with some local stock. The meetings also have very good speakers- well worth attending for that alone.

Hi Simon,

Your local association should be able to help with getting you started. It is important that you get the local bee suitable for your area and not to purchase colonies south of the border or the EU, however if you are still having problems getting bees e-mail me and I can discuss further how I can provide you with a starter colony.

Jimbo

Hi Simon

Its a great hobby, you've chosen wisely! There is one person I know not so far from Glasgow who might sell you a colony. He tends to charge market rates and last winter he didn't like to commit himself until the season was getting underway as he didn't know what his winter losses would be. So if you are still looking next spring he might be worth a try, but I'd try your local association as Ems and Jimbo suggested.

There are some real sharks out there who will sell you anything they can scrape together for an exorbitant fee. Some of them source bees in dodgy places then risk spreading sometimes new diseases and pests far and wide. So buy locally if at all possible. In years gone by beekeepers in Perthshire have supplied quality bees to quite a large number of amateurs, but they are currently at risk of harbouring European Foulbrood so I wouldn't recommend them either.

Gavin

hi
i may have some nucs around the 3rd wk June but not sure yet down to the weather they would be Buckfast X or AMM
The AMM would be with an II Queen

Hi,

did you manage to get a nuc? We are in Ayrshire and have one ready to go if it helps.