keeping bees

[North East Harris Hawker]

ive been thinking about this for a while, quite a cheap hobby, not a lot of work and lots of tasty honey!
does anyone else on here keep bees?
im looking for some first hand information on the subject

[Ben C]

A bloke at the back of our cottage keeps them. No too much of a problem to keep, but the are becoming increasingly rare because of a killer mite is wiping them out slowly. They need to be 'de-honeyed' about every two weeks. Keep em away from the house and near the blossom that you want your honey flavoured. As long as you have a queen and some males to keep her laying you'll be fine.

I once watch an old guy in our village, ring a bell and the swarm of bees, dropped off the apple tree into a box. He scooped them up and put them in his hive. Something to do with the vibrations???

http://www.apis.demon.co.uk/beekeeping/bee-links.html

[FoxHunter]

Join your local beekeeping association-it's the easiest and most effective route to becoming a beekeeper.

[Mary Quite Contrary]

Hi

I have joined my local club.

At my alloments there is a bloke who keeps his hives there.
I started talking to him and he invited me along to one of the club meetings.

There are some good books out there to read if you do a search on the net.

Regards

[North East Harris Hawker]

I once watch an old guy in our village, ring a bell and the swarm of bees, dropped off the apple tree into a box. He scooped them up and put them in his hive.
http://www.apis.demon.co.uk/beekeeping/bee-links.html


Ha Ha! you couldn't make that up!
I would laugh if i saw that, wierd but kinda cool at the same time...
mmm i keep thinking about all that lovely honey on a chunk of fresh bread for breakfast, washed down with a nice cuppa sweetened with ...yes..honey!

[Jester]

I once watch an old guy in our village, ring a bell and the swarm of bees, dropped off the apple tree into a box.



were thes PR or imprints??? :lol: :lol:



well someone had to say it :supz:

[FlameHairedFalconer]

My mum keeps bees and they produce wonderful honey. The main thing appears to be checking for veroa (the mite thing they get) and making sure they have enough reserves for the winter.

I remember hers swarming when the foot and mouth outbreak was at its height - they went to an apple tree in the garden, but she was too late to get them and could only watch as they swarmed off over the closed countryside!

FHF

[Harris]

were thes PR or imprints??? :lol: :lol:



well someone had to say it :supz:


Imagine flying them to the fist :shock:

[Ben C]

I know I know.......hard to fathom. He was an old wheelwright up on Clee hill in Shopshire. He taught my father how to build Gypsy wagons and how to build drays, wheels, barrels and do the metal work on ploughs........it was heaven up there.

NEEH: If you ever join an association ask one of the old boys and see if they still do it.

[North East Harris Hawker]

My mum keeps bees and they produce wonderful honey. The main thing appears to be checking for veroa (the mite thing they get) and making sure they have enough reserves for the winter.

I remember hers swarming when the foot and mouth outbreak was at its height - they went to an apple tree in the garden, but she was too late to get them and could only watch as they swarmed off over the closed countryside!

FHF

some great answers here, i read that you have to keep an eye on how many residents you have in your hive and add extra racks to accomodate them, if the place gets crowded (or another queen hatches) half or more of them will swarm and bugger off to pastures new

[Ben C]

Also when I kept them for a short while as a kid, we put a swarm in, they ate all the honey aleady in the combes and then ****ed off after eating it all....little friggers. So watch for that as well.

[FlameHairedFalconer]

Also when I kept them for a short while as a kid, we put a swarm in, they ate all the honey aleady in the combes and then ****ed off after eating it all....little friggers. So watch for that as well.

RRPMSL Ben - why am I not surprised with you??!! :lol: :lol: :heart:


FHF

[Ben C]

hours and hours i spent watching them........I ate me tea near them and made sure they were happy......then one morning....NOTHING......:x :x

[North East Harris Hawker]

apparently if you catch a swarm, you have to put them into an empty hive!
lock em in for a day or so then they should build a honey reserve for themselves

[Ben C]

And that is the reason the little furry tools robbed me blind..........:supz:



(I didn't say I was an expert dude!!!!)