David K 172 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) I have two hives, started with bees late 2010 and have just kept it to the two so far. This year I am going to expand and create as many as possible from my existing colonies. Going to try and raise my own queens and split the hives up into as many 5 frame nucleui as possible. I have a few people willing to let me set up apiaries on their land so if it all works out I should be producing plenty of honey in a few seasons. I make my own hives from floor joists and 12mm ply, just buy frames, wax, excluders etc. from suppliers. The best thing I ever did was join the local bee keeping association, loads of free advice from people who have done it all before and made all the mistakes, although I did feel I needed to grow a beard and age about 30 years to fit in. My bees have been flying since late January as the weather has been so mild, great to see they have made it the the winter. Edited February 17, 2012 by David K 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Keswick 119 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Took a wander oop garden today and all three hives were busy as hell, loads of bees around the entrances and bees whizzing round the garden all day. I thought one hive was dead in November. Havent even been to look at the other site yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David K 172 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Fed my two hives today, used a couple of pots of last years set honey. With the winter being so mild they will have used more of their winter stores than usual and I don't want to lose them through starvation. The advice from my local association is feed fondant now and syrup solution in march. I prefer to feed honey if I have it as its easier and quicker for the bees to use it. Happy with the condition of the hives after a very quick look in, plenty of lively bees and I only got stung once on my knee while bending down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 I'm new to this but its somthing the wife has always wanted to get into. to cut a long story short we picked up a old Hive off a friend yesterday after he moved who had this standing in his garden for a good few years. looking at it it needs a few repairs and a few other parts bringing in to get it up to scratch, in the pictures is probably the worse of the damage on the Brood Box which looks pretty rotted out in areas, thankfully the stand still seems solid as does the rest. I'm not sure weather to try and repair the Brood box or just bite the bullet and buy in a replacement? to be honest a replacement looks the way to go by the amount of rot around the edges. any advice please and help on where to get the parts from would be much apreciated ...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David K 172 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 That looks pretty far gone to me, if you have the timber lying around a can repair or make a new box yourself then thats what I would do. You have a template to work from with the rotten box and it will save you some money. The frames inside are probably not rotten due to the bee wax and propolis on them but it would probably be best practice to cut out the old wax, clean up the frames and put in some new wax foundation. The last thing you want is a new colony picking up a disease from the previous inhabitants. Try Thornes for all your materials and info. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 That looks pretty far gone to me, if you have the timber lying around a can repair or make a new box yourself then thats what I would do. You have a template to work from with the rotten box and it will save you some money. The frames inside are probably not rotten due to the bee wax and propolis on them but it would probably be best practice to cut out the old wax, clean up the frames and put in some new wax foundation. The last thing you want is a new colony picking up a disease from the previous inhabitants. Try Thornes for all your materials and info. Cheers for the Help David . I was think of doing this which would turn out cheaper in the long run. the rails in the box look like they have been beaten up slightly and also pin tacked in, I'll probably make a bit more of a mess of them trying to remove them, think its also a good idea to contact Thornes in the link you put up David and see what bits and peices I can pick up. the trouble I have here is there are no local wood merchants which is a pity as it doesn't look that much to knock up another brood box Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David K 172 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) I wouldn't worry too much about how it looks if you fancy making your own. The important thing is the "bee space" which is about 3/8 of an inch between the frames, they need enough room to move around the hive but give them too much and they will fill it with comb and thus making it very difficult to lift out frames for inspection. Other than that it needs to waterproof and draughtproof. if you look at many beekeepers collection of brood boxes and supers they are usually a mish mash of different timbers and repairs. I make all my hives apart from the frames and don't worry how it looks but how the bees get on in it. Beesource is a great site for all the vital measurements and plans in PDF flies. Good luck. Another good place for plans is the Scottish Beekeepers Association website. Edited March 20, 2012 by David K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 How have your first inspections gone? Its funny my hive that went into winter on double brood and was by far the strongest is now by far the weekest and my smallest colony last autumn is now bursting at the seams and is now on double brood, the other 2 nationals have brood on about 5-6 frames my 2 topbar hives are alive and laying although 1 i should think had no more than a couple of hundred bees, so have put some syrup on and closed them up abit Got loads of rape out all around me at the moment but with all this rain i dont think they will be able to make the most of it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted May 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Caught my first swarm of the year today and put in one of my new built topbar hives only a couple of pounds of bees but should get going well Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trapperman 474 Posted May 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Checked next day and they have buggerd off oh well shit happens Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stubby 175 Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 cant belive I posted on this post around 2yrs ago, and am only now getting into bee's, made myself a TBH nuc with 15 top bars, I like the idea of tbh and making from scrap timber, as if these get stolen from permissions you aint then lost ££££'s, and maybe get a national for the garden, have also started brewing 5 gallons on mead (another post on here) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stubby 175 Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 picked up my first cast swarm 5 days ago, very relaxing to watch, just gotta make up a few tbh and maybe a warre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David K 172 Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 I attended a queen rearing course run by our local association, really interesting stuff and we managed to graft and raise over 20 queens. Everyone who participated went away with an apidea and a queen, I have put mine on a friends farm and when I checked it last week there was plenty of comb building but the queen hadn't started laying yet. When she does I will unite it with a five frame nucleus made up from my existing hives. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stubby 175 Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 made this yesterday, although Im using TBH, I am being drawn towards nationals for their ease of use, so this is ready if another swarm comes along just need to order some frames and foundation Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Looks good stubby ... I have a old National here which I had given to me a while back, it's in need of a new brood box and floor which I was planning on buying pretty soon... The question is have I left it to late in the season to start a Hive off? the Hive will be fully functional when I get the brood box and floor...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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