I am about to befriend some bees...

[Herbsandveg]

Now, I fully accept that many might frown at this, and that I might be looked on as a bit of a naive amateur (or worse), but having voted for all kinds of bee protection measures, and after having seen them displayed at this year's Harrogate Spring Show, I've now taken the plunge and have ordered a Beepol colony (There, I've said it now!)...

I've got a lovely little spot for the bee nest in the garden, and I've got plenty of plants just about to come into flower, so here we go, and we'll see how it all turns out. Someone (fairly doomily) predicted that they might take just one look at my garden and then (literally) buzz off to pastures new, but I'm prepared to take that risk and I'm hoping for a happy and productive little Summer in happy co-operation with my new little buddies!

More on this as events unfold!...

[toby6668]

Go for it and good luck. I used to keep bees a few years ago but foolishly lost them to varroa. Keep thinking that I'd like restart again some day soon. Really interested to find out how you go on.

[Olorin2001]

The council doesn't allow bees on allotments in Southampton, but if they did I would have them. I did the basic bee keeping course and then the indermediate one before I discovered the no bee rule. Living in a ground floor flat I don't even have the option of keeping them on the balcony/windowbox.
But the no bee rule didn't stop me from making my allotments bumblebee super friendly.

[Herbsandveg]

Go for it and good luck. I used to keep bees a few years ago but foolishly lost them to varroa. Keep thinking that I'd like restart again some day soon. Really interested to find out how you go on.

Thanks for your support, Toby, and sorry to hear about your losses to Varroa. Maybe this could be a slightly less demanding way back into bees for you? Either way, I'll let you know how things transpire, and am really pretty hopeful that things might go quite well...

[veggiechicken]

Good for you Herbs. I assume your bees are bumble bees? We used to keep honey bees but lost ours to European Foul Brood. I really missed having that extra 200,000 bees in the garden. There were bumble bees in the GH with me today - not exactly cuddly but they look as if they should be. Hope your new family make themselves at home with you.

[Herbsandveg]

The council doesn't allow bees on allotments in Southampton, but if they did I would have them. I did the basic bee keeping course and then the indermediate one before I discovered the no bee rule. Living in a ground floor flat I don't even have the option of keeping them on the balcony/windowbox.
But the no bee rule didn't stop me from making my allotments bumblebee super friendly.

Really sorry to hear of your restrictions there, Olorin (nice name, by the way...), but good that you're able to 'get close' to bees on your allotment via your care in planting and in general plot housekeeping. I didn't realise that the councils could dictate those sort of restrictions; what could be less offensive than a common or garden bee? Bureaucracy gone bonkers if you ask me...

[Herbsandveg]

Good for you Herbs. I assume your bees are bumble bees? We used to keep honey bees but lost ours to European Foul Brood. I really missed having that extra 200,000 bees in the garden. There were bumble bees in the GH with me today - not exactly cuddly but they look as if they should be. Hope your new family make themselves at home with you.

Thank you for that, VC. You'd be right in assuming them to be bumblebees, yes. It sounds so wonderful to have had, as you said, 20,000 bees around your garden. What a wonderful experience that must be to have such an outrageous abundance of life and industry around your life. It's truly something that I can but aspire to, yet I'm full of real enthusiasm about the incoming new neighbours, and I can really see this 'sticking' as a new passion...

[veggiechicken]

We had 4 hives - with about 50,000 bees in each (not that I counted them!). To be honest, I was not very aware of them flitting about the garden, but when they went, the garden seemed empty and it took me a while to realise why.
If you're interested in beekeeping why don't you go along to your local beekeeper's association and get some hands on experience. They always welcome enthusiastic newbies!

[Herbsandveg]

More bees...

We had 4 hives - with about 50,000 bees in each (not that I counted them!). To be honest, I was not very aware of them flitting about the garden, but when they went, the garden seemed empty and it took me a while to realise why.
If you're interested in beekeeping why don't you go along to your local beekeeper's association and get some hands on experience. They always welcome enthusiastic newbies!

I might just do that, VC. It sounds like something I could really get involved in.

So it was 200,000, not 20,000! Wow, that's just amazing. That's the stuff of dreams for me, but something I could love to try to aspire to...

[veggiechicken]

Then do it, Herbs! Its fascinating, just learning about the bee hierarchy and how they all have their own roles to play in the running of the colony. I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

[Feral007]

Oh that's so nice.

Yes, I started itching to have bees as well, reading all the things they really are needed for, and the problems with them disappearing around the world.

And then there's a sustainability fb page that keeps putting up courses on native bee keeping.

But I had to stop and slap myself eventually. Because I'm allergic to bees!
Not anaphalaxis yet, but each time I'm stung it's worse.
I just wish the dashed beeman would come back and leave his bees on our property again Sadly, as we get the weeds under control we become less appealing to the bee man.

I shall just have to live vicariously thru your beekeeping.

[Herbsandveg]

Updates - good and bad...

Oh that's so nice.

Yes, I started itching to have bees as well, reading all the things they really are needed for, and the problems with them disappearing around the world.

And then there's a sustainability fb page that keeps putting up courses on native bee keeping.

But I had to stop and slap myself eventually. Because I'm allergic to bees!
Not anaphalaxis yet, but each time I'm stung it's worse.
I just wish the dashed beeman would come back and leave his bees on our property again Sadly, as we get the weeds under control we become less appealing to the bee man.

I shall just have to live vicariously thru your beekeeping.

You can be assured of regular updates, Feral, and sorry to hear of your unfortunate allergy to our little friends...Will try to post some pics, too, of the siting etc when things get up and running...

[Feral007]

I'm happy to live in the garden with the bees, but couldn't risk having to do things with a hive. I shall just have to get friendly with a a beeman..........

[marchogaeth]

So can I ask are these native bumblebees bred in Britain?
Aren't you a bit worried that they will compete with the bees you already have in your garden?
If you aren't worried that they will compete with the bees in your garden because you don't have many then, doesn't that mean that, despite your best efforts there isn't enough food in the general loaclity for them?

These are genuine questions not a veiled put down.

[Herbsandveg]

So can I ask are these native bumblebees bred in Britain?
Aren't you a bit worried that they will compete with the bees you already have in your garden?
If you aren't worried that they will compete with the bees in your garden because you don't have many then, doesn't that mean that, despite your best efforts there isn't enough food in the general loaclity for them?


These are genuine questions not a veiled put down.

Those are really good questions, Marchogaeth, and one's which, if I'm honest, I hadn't actually addressed. I think my main motivation for doing this is simply because it's just 'a good thing to do' in general, and because I'm genuinely fascinated to learn more about these creatures as closely as I can. I have very real concerns about the future of bees in general, and all the more so since Russia - apparently - told the US that they'd be prepared to go to war over this problem...

Singapore News Alternative: Russia Warns Obama: Global War Over “Bee Apocalypse” Coming Soon - Report