Bee Keeping

[r4eboxer]

I went to my first bee keeping class last night. Is there a thread here for bee keepers? I have 5 more classes and should have my bees in April.

 

[retiredwith4acres]

I have seen postings in a few places but not a lot. Glad you are doing the class, I did the beginners class twice. I have had bees for 4 years. We just went into our hives yesterday to check them out. One was dead and two very active bringing in pollen and making honey. I have four more packages of bees ordered for April. That would give us 7 hives. Don't give up because they are many things that can damage, kill, or hinder your progress. I have gotten honey only one year but do enjoy working with them. Hope this year's weather is better than last year was, too wet in spring and too dry in summer. I will answer any questions I can but not real experienced. We have a beekeepers association for several surrounding counties that meet once a month and that is how I have got information and help from the more experienced. BTW, our beginners class is next weekend. Good luck!

 

[1iora]

I want bees! They're not allowed within 100 ft of residences in DC, so I can't. But we have some on a rooftop at a community center here, and some at my school's campus, so I get my fill. How are the classes?

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Good luck to the beginner beekeepers here. Beekeeping is a wonderful hobby or business if you sell bees, hives, or honey products. Bees are one of the most interesting animals alive. Their life cycle, their habits, their industrious lifestyle is absolutely amazing. Every time I work with our bees I'm reminded of a line from a song ♪ ♫ I scarce can take it in ♪ ♫ . A colony or two of bees will increase your vegetable garden and orchard production by 20% to 30%.

I also collect swarms in the spring. In fact I just made a new swarm trap this morning. Last year I had my best trap stolen . . . I hope they enjoy the swarm if it was full. I have permission to hang my traps at a golf course and I guess a golfer wanted to change hobbies after a lousy day of golf I have heard recently that a queen and a small colony are very expensive if you buy them. I was taught that purchased bees do not do nearly as good as "mutts" from your own area. When I have a new swarm I call the folks in our Beekeepers Club to see who needs bees. Free is much better than $120 for foreign bees.

 

[r4eboxer]

Thanks for the replies. My class was great, my second one is tonight. I am almost halfway through the book they gave me. I am fascinated by the colonies and the social order of bees.

I got interested in them when I didn't see any honeybees pollinating my garden. I of course heard about CC and wanted to do something to help the bees.

I am not sure if I am going to start with my hives this year or not, as you mentioned I don't really want to spend 120.00 for a nuc of bees. We do have locally available bees but the keeper is selling splits/nucs to the association members. He is the president of our state association and they are semi local.

It seems like I am going to need two complete hives as I don't want to lose a swarm in later summer. However if I start adding up all the costs I'm going to be somewhere in the area of 500 - 600 to get what I really need to do this right. The guy presenting the class said I could start with just the bottom super but from what I am getting from the book I am reading the bees will fill that up in a matter of weeks.

I am going to my class tonight but I haven't decided if I am going to have him order me a nuc. It just seems like I need to get my supplies a little a time. If I have him put the order in for bees I am stuck having to get everything ready by April. I don't have that kind of disposable income right now. I'm trying to get my chicken coops set up and pasture fenced in this spring too. Not to mention all my veggie garden seeds and plants and all that entails.

 

[skeeter9]

Dang, that's expensive! Can't anything be inexpensive anymore???

 

[lesa]

What part of the country are in, r4e? You know everyone panics about bees swarming, but here is my take on it. If the bees swarm, it means they are in a healthy hive with enough population to go forth and multiply! Your original hive will be left with worker bees and a capped cell for the future queen. I started beekeeping with only one hive and it was fine. It is not an easy thing to get bees through the winter, etc. If you can get started this year- think of it as an experiment and a learning experience... There really is an amazing amount to learn. Hands on, is really the only way, in my opinion. Will you have a mentor from your class? Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[1iora]

I've seen people post adds on craigslist offering honeybee removal. I vote for doing that.

 

[r4eboxer]

Hello again,

I had my class on Tues and have another tonight. I did not put an order in for bees, I am so torn about it. I really want to be a beekeeper but I don't want to get in over my head. I'm thinking I may start in 2013 and spend 2012 collecting my supplies a little at a time.

I was given the homework of putting a frame together on Tues. I haven't had a chance to do it yet with "life going on". I think I will ask when I need to pay for the bees. I know they won't be coming in until April.

How much additional equipment will I need other than a hive? I am reading on in my book and see honey extractors and large vats and buckets for extracting honey. I haven't even begun to see what the prices are on those tools.

thanks lesa for the practical advice. I of course want honey but I can't go broke trying to keep all my bees by buying up new hives. So if they end up swarming I'll just let them go or call one of the members of our association to catch them for themselves (if they have another hive to put them in that is)

We do have a large beekeepers association. There are 50 people taking this class and I have no idea how many bee keepers we have in the county. I figure I could get someone to show me the ropes. I am thinking that I will not get bees this year but I WILL go to all monthly meetings. I have paid my local and state association fees so I am a member. Maybe someone will be kind enough to let me work their hives with them. That way I will be better prepared next year.

I don't know, I keep going back and forth. I really know that right now it is not in my budget, but I want bees. Funny that I do want bees, I was swarmed by a colony of what I think were honey bees when I was 6. I still remember every second of that ordeal
.

 

[lesa]

You absolutely do not need any honey extracting equipment!! If you are lucky enough to get honey the first year- you can use the old fashioned drip method. Which means you uncap the frames (with an ordinary knife), set the frames up over a plastic bin and leave them in a warm room. Voila- honey! This can be strained through a wire mesh, and you are good to go! Check out what the "beginner beekeeper" kits include. You will want a bee suit, a smoker, and a hive tool. The rest of the doodads are not that important. Beekeeping really doesn't have to be complicated. Remember, our great grandparents were keeping bees... Bees know how to make honey- they really don't require a lot of help from humans!