Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Right, i`ve been thinking about it for years but finaly took the plunge today and ordered a beehive and some kit i went for a british national in red ceder with 2 supers with all the frames etc.

 

I have 2 local people i met whilst doing wasps for them that keep bees and have offered to help but just thought i would post to see if any of you keep bees and can give some advice for a newbie.

 

I am hoping to get on a course soon thats run local to me, but missed the first one cos they were fully booked so am waiting to hear about dates etc

 

i am hoping to collect a swarm as to buy bees in is quite expensive and if i do something wrong and lose them it will be more costly

 

so any advice would be great :)

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Replies 225
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

First inspection of the “Cas” bees today, they’ve been in the hive for two weeks now, they were very gentle and stopped on the comb throughout, plenty of capped brood ... couldn’t be better.

Nice set up you ( and the wife) have there  ??. I managed to pick up a swarm last week, can’t beat free bees ??

Got me wife a hive for Xmas now we have 2 hives and a nuke box ( collected a swarm today) , its way to complicated for me just hope she gets me some honey ha 

Posted Images

Right, i`ve been thinking about it for years but finaly took the plunge today and ordered a beehive and some kit i went for a british national in red ceder with 2 supers with all the frames etc.

 

I have 2 local people i met whilst doing wasps for them that keep bees and have offered to help but just thought i would post to see if any of you keep bees and can give some advice for a newbie.

 

I am hoping to get on a course soon thats run local to me, but missed the first one cos they were fully booked so am waiting to hear about dates etc

 

i am hoping to collect a swarm as to buy bees in is quite expensive and if i do something wrong and lose them it will be more costly

 

so any advice would be great :)

 

 

Brood boxes come flat packed? If so my advice would be to get your hammer out and ready and get fitting.

 

Supers come flat packed? If so my advice would be to get your hammer out and ready and get fitting.

 

Frames come flat packed? If so my advice would be to get your hammer out and get fitting.

 

I have made my own hives from stock timber, takes a little longer, but more satisfying. I was going to make my own frames and just buy foundation, but i ran out of time for this year so bought frames instead.

 

Got your smoker and hive tool?

 

What floors have you bought? I have a solid floor and a mesh floor for each of my hives.

 

Have you got any feeders? If your going to collect a swarm and pop them onto fresh foundation, you will need a feeder on top if you expect them to draw out your new foundation. 6 pounds of syrup for a pound of wax!

Yes its all comming flat packed and have got my hammer and glue ready and cleared the dining room table.

 

have ordered smoker and hive tool and feeder and it has a mesh floor with sliding solid floor.

 

i know i will be busy :icon_eek:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Here some snap shots of my "stuff" :laugh:

 

The hives

 

hive1.jpg

 

Feeders!

 

feeder1.jpg

 

feeder2.jpg

 

Crownboard

 

crownboard.jpg

 

Inside view of roof

 

roof.jpg

 

Super with frames

 

super.jpg

 

Super frame

 

superframe.jpg

 

Varoa mesh floor

 

varoafloor.jpg

 

Ass end of the floor (slide out inspection board)

 

varoafloor2.jpg

 

Closed up floor

 

varoafloor3.jpg

 

My queen excluders and solid floors are in the shed and i'm too lazy to get them out to photograph them :tongue2:

 

Hope this helps...

Hey john you dont happen to have a few bees knocking around that you dont want do you :whistling:

Link to post
Share on other sites

CRACKING HIVE JK ,

AND WELL MADE TOO ! ..................

I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP BEES ... ITS ON MY LIST .....!!!

HOWEVER TIMES TIGHT AND ...... LIKE THE PROGRAM ..... SOMETIMES I HAVE TO ....... Curb My Enthusiasm :clapper:

YRS AGO AN OLD FELLA LIVED ALONG THE ROAD AND HAD 15 HIVES IN HIS GARDEN , I SPENT MANY HOURS LEARNING AND WATCHING HIM WORK HIS HIVES , OFTEN HE GOT SWARMS ....... USUALLY IN HIS TRUSTY CARDBOARD BOX .....COMING BACK WITH A SWARM IN A BOX IN THE BOOT OF HIS OLD BANGER WASNT THE MOST SECURE FEELING ....... :blink:

FUNNILY ENOUGH HE HAD A HATED OF WASPS AND HORNETS !

 

ALL THE BEST

 

DUCKWING

Link to post
Share on other sites

CRACKING HIVE JK ,

AND WELL MADE TOO ! ..................

I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP BEES ... ITS ON MY LIST .....!!!

HOWEVER TIMES TIGHT AND ...... LIKE THE PROGRAM ..... SOMETIMES I HAVE TO ....... Curb My Enthusiasm :clapper:

YRS AGO AN OLD FELLA LIVED ALONG THE ROAD AND HAD 15 HIVES IN HIS GARDEN , I SPENT MANY HOURS LEARNING AND WATCHING HIM WORK HIS HIVES , OFTEN HE GOT SWARMS ....... USUALLY IN HIS TRUSTY CARDBOARD BOX .....COMING BACK WITH A SWARM IN A BOX IN THE BOOT OF HIS OLD BANGER WASNT THE MOST SECURE FEELING ....... :blink:

FUNNILY ENOUGH HE HAD A HATED OF WASPS AND HORNETS !

 

ALL THE BEST

 

DUCKWING

Its been on my list for a long time also but like most things my time away working restricts me.

I remember as a kid my mates dad who was a joiner ...we used to load up hives in his joiners van the old mark 2 transit and take them up the glen so they could get heather honey ....but the 1/2 hour drive up the bumpy road there was always a few bees escaped and I always wondered what would happen if we crashed ....it was always amazing watching a a swarm coming into the hives sometimes the roof of his house was literly covered with thousands of bees moving into a hive ,...unbelievable to watch ...the noise was something

Link to post
Share on other sites

does anyone know how good the pheramone(spelling) attractants are as i ordered a pack of 2 with my order, they are supposed to get swarms to come to an empty hive, i thought i would assemble the brood chamber and get it out there with the attractant and some honey and see if i get lucky just incase i dont get a call for a swarm, i have also been told that a little propolis can help to get them in with the smell?

 

one local beekeeper told me that the scouts for a swarm looking for a new home will travel up to 3 miles so am hoping that this may work for me?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...