I am now a Beekeeper!!

[dickymint]

Well nearly. Just opened my B-Day present and yep it's a Beehive. Apart from always wanting to do this I haven't got a clue what I've let myself in for.

So the obvious thing to do is start a thread on PH as I'm sure It'll make me an expert within a week or so

Not unpacked it all yet but the veil fits although my two Jack Russells are NOT impressed and wont come near me - hopefully it will have the same effect on the forthcoming stingy bds.

So my journey begins and I've changed my name to Twister lol.

All advice and experiences very welcome

[dickymint]

daved said:

We've kept bees for the last 5-6 years, usually having 2-3 hives on the go. Thought it would be a simple job of setting them up and leaving them to do their thing. How wrong we were. Bees don't read the beekeeping manual so you end up spending a lot of time helping them out.

As somebody has mentioned, sign up to the local beekeepers association and see if they do a beginners course. It won't teach you everything but it'll get you going and there will always be someone ready to pop round and help you out. And they'll probably point you in the direction of the best place to get your first colony.

I'm no expert but if you want to know anything you're welcome to ask and I'll see what I can do.

Your profile says Wales and your a Wedger

[dickymint]

Good to see there's some interest in this thread and hopefully all ends well. It turns out that the hive Wifey has bought me is a WBC type - wouldn't have been my choice but I can sort of understand Her way of thinking ie Winnie The Pooh stylee

If i'd bought one myself it would be this........

https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/beekeeping/beehaus/

But hey ho the Bees wont know

[dickymint]

All assembled but need to decide wether or not to treat the wood.
The kit came with only one super/brood box as apparently you don't need more until the brood is nearly full - need to know if what the difference is (physically) between a brood box and a super..

Can't do more until about May when I can buy the "nucleus" except to do the research etc.

[dickymint]

Ps. may have to move it outside as I'm not sure if bees can use a cat flap

[dickymint]

Tonsko said:

What wood is it?

Not sure if Cedar or Pine. My gut feeling is to leave it as is - if/when it rots then buy another .... or five

[dickymint]

daved said:

dickymint said:

All assembled but need to decide wether or not to treat the wood.
The kit came with only one super/brood box as apparently you don't need more until the brood is nearly full - need to know if what the difference is (physically) between a brood box and a super..

Can't do more until about May when I can buy the "nucleus" except to do the research etc.

Brood box is deeper than a super. I've never had to have more than one brood box on a hive at a time. If you're lucky and it's a good spring/summer you will need a second super to go on top of the original - once it's getting full. The bees like to have space to store the honey - lack of space is factor in them swarming. If you're really lucky you'll need several supers, but this is Wales and that doesn't happen often. Best have two spares just in case.

I've treated some of our hives but they should be ok for a while if you don't treat them. Make sure you get something that isn't full of chemicals - bad for the bees. I forget what we use but I can have a look and find out what it is if you need help. 'Duck's back' rings a bell though.

Cheers, so to put this one to bed I need to add to the deeper brood box (which include the Hoffman stuff) with a further 1 or 2 shallower boxes (again with the Hoffman stuff) and a Queen separator? But I don't need these until the brood is large enough?

[dickymint]

Tonsko said:

What wood is it? If it's cedar (which is probably is) then it has very strong weather resistance anyway. Treating it will not be healthy for the bees. I've got some second hand cedar National hives, and they were 10 years old before I got them, so don't worry about wood treatment.

When you buy new bits for your hive, ensure you buy WBC parts. That's the type of hive that you have there, the 'classic' shape, if you like. Can recommend Maisemore Apiaries for supplies. WBC are slightly smaller than Nationals, which are a different size to Langstroth and so on. Not all hives are equal!

http://www.bees-online.co.uk/products.asp?b=6&... for a visual representation of the brood/super frames.

As for brood/super, a brood box is usually twice the depth of the super. To start off with, put some wax foundation (a basic starter comb) in, as the bees then have to do less work. If you choose wired foundation, it provides more strength, but you will be unable to cut the comb out to consume the honey that way.

Don't forget your queen excluder.

Edited by Tonsko on Tuesday 10th January 14:33

Ah so wired for the brood but unwired for the honey super/s?

[dickymint]

I can remember 'tis .....

https://www.honeyflow.com/

Last year and thought it was either snake oil or a April Fools joke! Anybody seen it?

[dickymint]

S6PNJ said:

dickymint said:

I can remember 'tis .....

https://www.honeyflow.com/ or (UK/Europe Site)

Last year and thought it was either snake oil or a April Fools joke! Anybody seen it?

Certainly not a joke - I've been following flow hive for quite a while now and it is big in Australia (home of the inventors) and America. Lot of highly rated bee keepers swear by it and the inventors claim to have done extensive testing 'in the field' with bee keeping experts prior to the launch.

It was originally launched on Indiegogo. They also have a Facebook page. My wife and I would like to keep bees if not this year then starting next year and I'm strongly considering this system.

Edited by S6PNJ on Thursday 12th January 19:43

Glad it's real as my initial thoughts were (and are) it's so non invasive for both keeper and more importantly the Bees - I've not yet checked but my gut feeling is that traditional keepers don't like it?

[dickymint]

monoloco said:

I'm definitely in the 'hate it' camp on this one -basic idea is clever and maybe in other warmer countries it will work but UK honey can be quite thick and has a definite habit of granulating (setting/crystalising) especially if there is even the minutest bit of rape seed nectar in it (rapeseed nectar acts as a crystalisation catalyst). Once it starts to set the only option is to scrape away and/or melt the comb down so if you had this in a 'flow' type comb you'd be stuffed. Similarly Heather honey also sets into a thixotropic gell so that wont flow out either.
Also, as I mentioned above, there is a great benefit in standardisation for beekeeping kit -that's why they came up with the idea of the BS-National Hive etc. The national isn't perfect but it is more than likely to be compatible with most other beekeepers in the area so you can borrow/swap kit in an emergency, or when someone gives you a swarm/nuc of bees you can just pop it straight into your hive without having to ditch the frames/comb/brood it arrives on. Also, there are loads of manufacturers/suppliers of National kit so pricing is keen. If you buy something weird and wonderful you are tied to one manufacturer so at their mercy price-wise and if they stop supplying then once again you're stuffed. Stick to mainstream hives in my view -National/WBC/Commercial etc as many parts of WBC's and 'Commercials' are interchangeable with Nationals. I use Nationals with 14x12 brood boxes (ie BS-National Extra-Deep) -parts are cheap, everything fits and they just work.

They're bringing out Flow Frames to fit Nationals

[dickymint]

Jambo85 said:

Well OP do you have some inmates for your hive yet!?

I acquired a pair of nucs last weekend and will be looking to hive them tomorrow into my National hives (with WBC style stand and roofs so they look pretty).

Unfortunately the newly seeded lawn has taken longer than anticipated. I daren't have ordered a nuc without knowing the hive would be in place and may be too late for this season? Truth be told I'm getting cold feet as well and may hold off until I can get booked in for some training.

I'll take a look at availability and make a decision in the next week or two.

Grumpy and Jambo - where did you get your bees from? Over wintered or not?

Edited by dickymint on Saturday 6th May 23:45

[dickymint]

dickymint said:

Jambo85 said:

Well OP do you have some inmates for your hive yet!?

I acquired a pair of nucs last weekend and will be looking to hive them tomorrow into my National hives (with WBC style stand and roofs so they look pretty).

Unfortunately the newly seeded lawn has taken longer than anticipated. I daren't have ordered a nuc without knowing the hive would be in place and may be too late for this season? Truth be told I'm getting cold feet as well and may hold off until I can get booked in for some training.

I'll take a look at availability and make a decision in the next week or two.

Grumpy and Jambo - where did you get your bees from? Over wintered or not?

Edited by dickymint on Saturday 6th May 23:45

Well where did the last two years go?

So my feet have warmed up and have finally got booked in for a "taster session" here next Sunday..............

https://sites.google.com/site/gwentbeekeepersassoc...

Luckily the apiary is just half a mile from where I live which is nice as i go passed it twice a day.

There's no guarantee of getting a place on the actual course in February but it's a pre-requisite to attend a taster session.

So in the meantime have any of you that were also thinking of taking this up done so and how's it going?

[dickymint]

No interest in here? as today's the day and i'm kinda excited?

I got told off by The Mods for "cross posting" a link to this thread on the Homes Garden and DIY forum (where this thread was started back in 2017) - it got one reply from some grumpy old spoil sport (probably with a grudge and so reported it) before it got deleted.

[dickymint]

Jambo85 said:

Hi Dicky

Missed your post on the 18th somehow, must have been doing some work that day!

It’s all got a bit of hand for me but absolutely loving it - I thought I was some kind of beekeeping god last year but it was all weather related, much harder this year but I have more hives so still getting plenty of honey.

I have put some of them on the Heather for the first time this year, here they were yesterday, only the wooden ones are mine but some monster colonies



Have you got someone to help you? I don’t want to be negative but you’re starting beekeeping at the difficult and unrewarding end of the season...!

Good forums and Facebook groups available if not, or ask here and we can all give you conflicting advice.

Plan is to attend todays taster session then do the beginners course in February. So probably wont be starting a colony till next year anyway.

It's in my nature to jump in at the deep end but something tells me to hold back on this venture. We'll see what pans out today first.

[dickymint]

Evanivitch said:

I did a day course in Cardiff just last week. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to getting all setup and ready to go next spring.

I haven't decided whether to get involved with the local club or not yet. A friend of mine already has a few hives and he's doing it all independently, and has offered to help out and even share his honey extractor.

I'm told there are a few keepers around my Town. One in particular that I apparently know but I can't put a face to his name! He likes to help newcomers, puts his own hives on peoples land and all that stuff.

Glad you enjoyed your day

Gotta find my wellies and head off...........................

[dickymint]

Well that was a great morning at the taster session. Nine of us turned up, all with zero experience, out of fourteen that booked.
It was a real eye opener and I have to admit quite a shock to be amongst thousands of angry Bees (I think the instructor did this on purpose).

We were told that the whole idea of the session was basically to sort out who was "up for it" as opposed to the dreamers! I can certainly understand why they have a large fall out rate for those that actually go onto the course proper.

Due to constraints of available facilities Gwent Beekeepers CIO have to limit their beginners course to only 25 places per year!! They say they could easily double that. Looking forward though, they have acquired their own land and are well on the way to building their own apiary so that everything can be done at one venue.

So as it stands the course proper is on a first come first served basis when the emails are sent out in January. The criteria being you must have attended a taster session, must be a member of The Gwent Beekeepers Association for 2020 and pay the fee of £125

The course consists of 6 classroom and 8 apiary sessions (1 a week).

Was news to me and an added bonus that the £125 fee includes a full nucleus of bees along with a queen for those that "pass" and are felt competent enough to start up their own hive/s. now that in my book is exceptional value for money.

Took a quick vid..........................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMpKpne5T68

[dickymint]

Evanivitch said:

That's tremendous value for money!

On my course, the majority of the hives we looked at (all used for breeding and selling, not honey) were all very calm and we'll behaved. But the instructor made a point of showing us an aggressive colony that even the inspector had found particularly troublesome. They didn't do us any harm, but they were much louder and onto our suits very quickly.

Yep that's the feeling - i'm sure it was done as a bit of a test. Instructor even got stung three times before he put his veil and gloves on and took great pride in showing us that the one sting (minus the bee) was still pumping!!

[dickymint]

Finally after 3 years the fun begins..................




I tactfully broached the subject of Flowhives knowing there is a lot of negativity from "the old scool". I wasn't wrong but thought it best not t get into debate........yet

The head tutor though is very approachable and forward thinker - he insists that there is no right or wrong way of doing things on all aspects as long as the bees welfare is looked after. I think I will have his full support.

You may have guessed by now that although Wifey bought me a WBC Hive three years ago for my surprise birthday present I've made my mind up to go with (the) Flow. I may sell the WBC or may run both (i'm told that it makes sense to have more than one hive at the outset anyway). I've watched many hours of videos for and against the debate with an open mind and my feeling it's perfectly doable in the UK. I'm an engineer so there are no problems only opportunities

Would love your input guidance and help

Now it's time to sort out my garden, put up a shed and base for hives.

Edit: another bonus - the venue has been changed to a hall between my local and my house which is on my way home about a 3 minute stroll. first then.

Edited by dickymint on Sunday 23 February 10:21

[dickymint]

Many thanks guys and total respect for your many years of hard earned experience and graft.

You’ve caused me loads of questions and doubt in going the Flow route (as do the keepers/tutors at my association.

I’ll fire a few at you later if I may but would like to stress that harvesting ‘easy’ honey is the last thing on my mind. Anything more than a couple of jars is enough for me and bee welfare is top priority.

For now, as regards OSR I’ve asked a few local farmers and there is little or none for miles around. My view anyhow would be tough luck on me and the bees can clean up the frames and eat. Also I was reading a report about OSR being decimated by some ‘mite’ and farmers not willing to plant more.

As regards Ivy - I can’t see myself letting them starve for the sake of a few quids worth of fondant