Bee keeping

[Yorkshire Pudding]

I am thinking about getting some bees . Obviously i would love some of those "deadly" killer bees , but to start with i will have to make do with some "bog standard" honey bees .

I seem to remember there were a couple of bee keepers on here . I was wondering if anybody had the "Introduction to keeping bees" DVD that i could borrow before lashing out £18 to the BBKA .

 

Any hints tips and advice will be gladly received with thanks .

 

all the best yis yp

[Paul223]

google bee keeping forum, theres a few, like all forums some are good some not so, you'll know the good ones, read up plenty

[pavman]

I am thinking about getting some bees .

 

I was wondering if anybody had the "Introduction to keeping bees" DVD that i could borrow before lashing out £18 to the BBKA .

 

all the best yis yp

 

 

you tight wad

 

If you get a copy can i get it after you,

[kdubya]

not getting stung for £18?

 

KW

[V8landy]

google bee keeping forum, theres a few, like all forums some are good some not so, you'll know the good ones, read up plenty

 

 

The best and biggest UK bee forum, is www.beekeepingforum.co.uk

 

There is the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) but that forum is just about dead and very stuff old farts in it!

 

Best book to get is Tedd Hoppers "guide to bees and beekeeping" or Bees at the bottom of your garden. Many others are very Americanised.

 

Main point I would say you need to decide up front is what type of hive you will want. Now the main factor that might dicate that is if you find a close by "bee buddy" that can help you out, if so pick the type of hive / Frame size they use and this will be come clear the more you learn.

 

PM me is you want, I am no expert (anyone that claims they are is a lair) but I have been keeping and breeding bees for 5 years.

 

But there are 2 typical beekeeping sayings:

 

"ask 7 beekeepers a question and you will get 10 different answers"

 

" Which ever book you read the bees will have read a different book" i.e they can be very hard to understand

 

A book is good, but to find a "bee buddy" is best, again ask on the above bee forum, there will be somone near you

Edited November 10, 2010 by V8landy

[Andy H]

Have a look at this guy's site he is into beekeeping and shooting.

 

http://www.dave-cushman.net/

[lordofthewings]

The only way I would consider keeping bee,s again is if I could keep them where there was no rape grown within a four mile radius. If you are really serious you could do worse than start by building your own hives, you could probably still get plans from whatever has replaced the the old MAFF, you will learn a lot about bee,s by doing that, you will also discover whether it was just a thought or not. Thats how I started, got frames in the flat from a local supplier. But what really makes the whole enterprise serious and expensive is what is needed to get the honey from the hive to a jar. It,s a pain LOTW

[fluke2]

Have a look at the link I took a course in 2008 at the local

agricultural college and it was free at the time well worth

doing.

 

http://www.bee-craft.com/beekeeping-courses-england-north.php

[V8landy]

The only way I would consider keeping bee,s again is if I could keep them where there was no rape grown within a four mile radius.

 

Why? The area I am in is a major Oil Seed rape (OSR) area, and I have no issues with it.

 

I use it greatly for rapidly building up nucs, and the honey is also very nice.

 

As for getting honey out, simplest way is cut comb, or just scrape back to rib (orginal foundation)

 

Beekeeping need not be expnsive, but it can very easly

[-oXo-]

not getting stung for £18?

 

KW

Could be quite a buzz keeping bees I suppose.

Edited November 11, 2010 by -oXo-

[Dunkield]

Why? The area I am in is a major Oil Seed rape (OSR) area, and I have no issues with it.

I was about to ask the same question, I don't keep bees but I know two people who do.

One says OSR makes good honey, the other (much larger scale)only uses it as bulk as he doesn't much like the taste.

[lordofthewings]

Vlandy ask,s why the four mile osr exclusion. Well I am willing to subcribe to the theory that the crash of hives that has been recently experienced is due to the systemic insecticides used to treat the seed evetually finding it,s way into the honey and necter.I do not think it a coincidence that bee,s kept in urban area,s are thriving. That is one reason, another, is being able to put succesive supers on without the danger of honey setting in the comb,LOTW

[V8landy]

Well I am willing to subcribe to the theory that the crash of hives that has been recently experienced

 

What CRASH of hives?

 

As I said I am in a very high OSR area and have had zero losses of hives, in fact my hive increases are in the order of 250 -300% !!! I.e I over winter a maximum of 4 or 5 hives, but regularly build up to 11 or 12 hives (nucs) which I sell on.

 

And as for the honey setting in the combs, well that is just poor managment by the beekeeper!

[Yorkshire Pudding]

Thanks for all the replys fella's .

 

Joined beekeepingforum and currently getting me eyes melted at all the topics .

 

200tdi truck cab to V8 landy , expect some laughable questions . I would also like to have a look at yer set up if thats possible .

 

all the best yis yp :yp:

[Guest gloker]

Did a job yesterday, Older woman, known bee allergy, stung by bee, having an allergic reaction. Unable to administer own epipen. On arrival, struggling to breathe, face swollen. (stung on arm.) Whilst treating her I said something along the lines of, Where was the bee, I havent seen many bees about I thought it was too cold?

 

"My husband keeps bees!"

 

Have you ever heard anything as daft in your life?

[V8landy]

Bees still pop out this time of year on a sunny day...strech their wings and have a dump etc.

 

 

Bee sting reactions are an odd thing, some people go straight away, other go for years and then all of a sudden they react.

 

Best thing and the idea of been a beenkeeper is not to get stung! (easy said than done)

 

Also like you said you have to watch other memeber of your family, and example might be your wife washinh your bee suit for X years, will in some way come in contact with the bee venoum, and can becume sensitised to the stings via this.

 

 

 

BUT put it in prospective, more people in the UK die from Lighting strikes than bee or wasp stings.

[paul1966]

Bees still pop out this time of year on a sunny day...strech their wings and have a dump etc.

 

 

Bee sting reactions are an odd thing, some people go straight away, other go for years and then all of a sudden they react.

 

Best thing and the idea of been a beenkeeper is not to get stung! (easy said than done)

 

Also like you said you have to watch other memeber of your family, and example might be your wife washinh your bee suit for X years, will in some way come in contact with the bee venoum, and can becume sensitised to the stings via this.

 

 

 

BUT put it in prospective, more people in the UK die from Lighting strikes than bee or wasp stings.

 

regarding what you said, there was a story in the local rag last year, a bloke that kept bees for years got stung and had an allergic reaction to it and died. i was quite surprised when i read it.