And there was me thinking tucking your suit into your wellies was optional! Lots of people I know don't and haven't suffered. I however am a definite tucker.
And there was me thinking tucking your suit into your wellies was optional! Lots of people I know don't and haven't suffered. I however am a definite tucker.
Rosco, welcome to the forum and ask away, we don't bite (much) and certainly not if you ask in the "starting out" forum which, as its it's name suggests, is for Beekeepers new to the craft. Please ask anything you want, no one is going to point and laugh or think its a stupid question. We were all new Beekeepers once, some of us more recently than othersOriginally Posted by Rosco
. In my alternate role as a motivational speaker
Cheers folks. Wasn't meaning to sound disparaging towards any other forum, it's just my fear of it being a daft question that stop me asking questions usually!
Have three colonies at the moment, one local swarm I was given and two not so local colonies that I purchased. Medium term goal is to overwinter another 1 or 2 nucs headed by a local (either bred from my local bees or bought in from somewhere) queen. Reason for wanting the extra colonies is to give me more flexibility next year and maybe even a chance at some honey! I have the feeling this is a bit ambitious for a beginner though!
Good course tho' wasn't it. Think we all learned a lot.
Rosco
What type of hives are your bees in at the moment ?
Welcome to the forum Rosco! In my experience most beginners hit problems in year 2 around May or June when the colonies are large, sometimes queenless (and swarmed) already and definitely tetchy, and there is a sudden need for several spare boxes. Many experienced beekeepers have problems then too
And, if some honey is your goal, you really should be able to at least aspire to a late-season crop of honey this year if your bees are near heather or Himalayan balsam.
Bear in mind that the colonies that failed overwinter were very often the small ones. Get your Varroa control right, make sure there are a few frames of young bees being raised in September, and feed unless they have largely filled a brood box after that brood raising, and your three will still be alive next spring. Then, when your bees get reproductive next year, you will have no problem tripling your stock plus having some strong ones for honey production if you want to ..... and if your site has good bee forage.
G.
Any pictures? And not just of Bridget's discomfort!
You will need to think carefully about how you make increase if you have a mix local and non local bees, especially if they are different bee sub species.
If you have queens produced by random crosses you could well end up with something very unpleasant to handle.
There are a lot of threads on the bee forums about aggressive bees and beekeepers not being able to mow the lawn or use the garden.
You might get lucky, but it is pretty much down to chance. Are you in your local association yet as you might be able to link up with a few local beekeepers who are interested in bee improvement.
Hi Jon
You need a recruitment poster like the Kitchener one
"Crossed bees are wild dervishes"
Most of mine are OK
You don't buy in bees though DR.
I don't doubt that most of yours are ok but depending on the bees and the neighbours, a beekeeper might need a remote site to remove a difficult colony.
Might never happen but it is as well to be aware of potential issues down the line.
Last edited by Jon; 28-06-2013 at 10:53 AM.
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