lister1 Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Hello bee people. Just thought i would ask if there any bee keppers amongst our colony. My father in law has an orcahrd about 1 acre in size, mostly apples and a few plums. He has said how he would like to have a hive but has never got round to it. So I thought I might have a go myself but I'm not sure where ti start. Anyway, is there someone who lives near who wouldn't mind giving me some advice on the best way to get into it. I'm near wisbech. I know tge internet is a good place to start but always pefer to talk to someone who is invlolved in such things. Cheers James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 I think it's 'Stubby' who keeps bees (he posted a topic recently about his bees 'swarming' over the weekend) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overandunder2012 Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 do what i did find your local bee keeping club there you can get help and advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick miller Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 I'm the same, would like to try but I'm unsure about the cost and time commitment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 I'm the same, would like to try but I'm unsure about the cost and time commitment. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiebald Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Not quite beekeeping but I got some bee box's and a friend of mine got me some mason bee Pupas. Mason bees are a solitary stingless bee, iv been watching them work hard filling the bamboo canes with pollen and eggs then plugging up the canes in their box's with mud caps. It's surprising how hard they work and they are verry interning to watch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted June 6, 2013 Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 If your father-in-law wants a hive for pollination, then his best bet would probably be to get in touch with a local bee-keeping association, I'm pretty sure you'll get a hive on it quite readily. I used to be a beekeeper, unfortunately you WILL get stung on occasions. I gradually (over 5 years) developed more and more of a reaction to stings, so had to give up. That was 8 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted June 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2013 Cheers guys. Didn't think of a local club. The pollination was poor last year, so was thinking of a hive for that and the added benifit of having some honey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinggun Posted June 7, 2013 Report Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) There is a cambridgeshire beekeepers association called cbka if you google that it will come up, they run a beekeepers course each year at the college I work at. They also have stalls etc come in to sell all the gear, its always very popular and normally packed. Edited June 7, 2013 by smokinggun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 I'm the same, would like to try but I'm unsure about the cost and time commitment. when I first got interested, I was quoted around £500 for all the kit and thought SOD THAT, and left it a couple of years, I then found a forum called friends of the bees, they are more into the bees than honey production, and show how to make hives from scrap wood, so I collected a swarm and became a beekeeper for around £100 so we have top bar hives (cheap option) and national hives (dearer option) and I now use both, simple reason being, most people/beekeepers around you, will be national users, and when you run into trouble, like say having a queenless colony, those bees will die, unless you can get new eggs into their hive so they can make a new queen, with national hives, every hive is the same, so you can pinch a frame of brood/eggs from a friend and give it to your bees, its still doable with a top bar hive, but alot more hard work and destruction of good frames so although more expensive, Id say go with a national hive thornes do kits that you build, very enjoyable building your own, http://youtu.be/XB6p9dISupM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 as for time, I tend to sit and watch mine more than anything, its really relaxing, as for actual time spend on the hive, maybe an hour per week, sometimes an hour a fortnight, they know what to do more than you,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 , unfortunately you WILL get stung on occasions keeper for 2yrs now, still not stung, I suppose its different bees (my girls are very docile) and not giving the bees a reason to sting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Yeah, 4 of my hives were absolutely great. One in particular you barely even needed smoke or a suit to inspect or cut out queen cells. Had it 20 yarde from the house One, however, was terrible. Imagine an entire hive with really bad PMT. I had to have that 200 yards from any paths, livestock. It ended up on a piece of moorland which was an absolute sod to get to, just to safeguard the public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted June 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 when I first got interested, I was quoted around £500 for all the kit and thought SOD THAT, and left it a couple of years, I then found a forum called friends of the bees, they are more into the bees than honey production, and show how to make hives from scrap wood, so I collected a swarm and became a beekeeper for around £100 so we have top bar hives (cheap option) and national hives (dearer option) and I now use both, simple reason being, most people/beekeepers around you, will be national users, and when you run into trouble, like say having a queenless colony, those bees will die, unless you can get new eggs into their hive so they can make a new queen, with national hives, every hive is the same, so you can pinch a frame of brood/eggs from a friend and give it to your bees, its still doable with a top bar hive, but alot more hard work and destruction of good frames so although more expensive, Id say go with a national hive thornes do kits that you build, very enjoyable building your own, Cheers for that very informative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted June 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 There is a cambridgeshire beekeepers association called cbka if you google that it will come up, they run a beekeepers course each year at the college I work at. They also have stalls etc come in to sell all the gear, its always very popular and normally packed. Just had a look at the cbka website. Lots of info on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 a few nights ago I got sent to acton town underground as a swarm had come down on the track, on arriving it looked like a prime swarm, and took just under 2 hours to get them into a nuc, I took them straight to the out apiary allotment, as Id already been a bit rough with them on collection, I didn't want to rough them up again, so just placed the nuc inside the top bar hive, theres some old comb in there for them to clean and re use, I added some sugar syrup and closed them up, will check in a weeks time on how they are doing http://youtu.be/iPBVF1iiHTU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy.plinker Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 A friend of mine keeps bees, theres a lot to keeping them ,as said I would join a club or the like, sounds like an interesting hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper3 Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 enjoyed that stubby, we are looking at buying a smallholding, and want a orchard, so bee keeping is something we are getting interested in found this starter pack, but we wouldn't do anything without maybe doing a course 1st http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/350809896872?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=63&ff19=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 enjoyed that stubby, we are looking at buying a smallholding, and want a orchard, so bee keeping is something we are getting interested in found this starter pack, but we wouldn't do anything without maybe doing a course 1st http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/350809896872?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=63&ff19=0 that looks ok, if you want the enjoyment of constructing the hive, this one is similar http://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees/bees-on-a-budget/bees-on-a-budget-kits?product_id=5317 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 (edited) One of those things I have always wanted to do but have just never got around to it apart from collecting swarms for people but I will next year with a bit of luck , this is a good topic cant wait to see what comes in . ps I want to master the art of making mead , well its got alcohol in it so why not ! . pps any tips on making mead anyone Edited June 30, 2013 by Pole Star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 One of those things I have always wanted to do but have just never got around to it apart from collecting swarms for people but I will next year with a bit of luck , this is a good topic cant wait to see what comes in . ps I want to master the art of making mead , well its got alcohol in it so why not ! . pps any tips on making mead anyone get a plastic flower pot (large) drill hole near bottom, place bits of timber around 2x1 size across top of pot, you have a very cheap top bar hive, so next time you collect a swarm, collect it in that and my mead making, 1year ago, not been drunk yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 I'd love to have a hive, i reckon i'd get a good buzz out of it. I'll get my coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 get a plastic flower pot (large) drill hole near bottom, place bits of timber around 2x1 size across top of pot, you have a very cheap top bar hive, so next time you collect a swarm, collect it in that and my mead making, 1year ago, not been drunk yet Thanks for the tips Stubby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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