Contemplating Bees

[Greenleaves]

Been doing a little reading on bee keeping but totally confused by what I read, some articals say you need to visit the hive at least twice a week in the productive months others say to leave the bees to get on with it.

So enough reading about it...now I am asking the experts ie you guys

any advice most welcome

[veggiechicken]

Where are you going to keep them - garden or plot? Ours were in the garden which meant checking on them was easy - but we didn't open up the hive to check them twice a week

[Greenleaves]

Where are you going to keep them - garden or plot? Ours were in the garden which meant checking on them was easy - but we didn't open up the hive to check them twice a week

Over the plot, not worried about having to visit, just confused about whats right and whats wrong

[veggiechicken]

I'm sure a beekeeper will "bee" along soon. Bee diseases like Varroa were new to the area when we had bees, so bee management has probably changed a lot since then.

[Greenleaves]

Thanks VC

[alldigging]

You can leave the bees to "get on with it". This will probably mean you lose most of your bees in swarms. Not good for you or your neighbours.

See if your libary has the Haynes Bee keeping book. It's brilliant for anyone interesting in learning more about bee keeping. Loads of pictures and explanations.

Weekly inspections are a must and there will be times when you have to visit them more often.

[Jungle Jane]

Beepol Lodge and Colony of Bumble Bees
Iv had a few bees in my garden,solitary bees I think,they'd nested under the leaves in an area I grow runner beans,had to work around it,but they look after themselves,so I was thinking,if lots of people got one of these bee houses in their gardens/allotments,would that help the bee population? It says its maintenance free & no need for bee suits

[Madasafish]

I have 8 (! I must be mad--- see my name) hives in our garden. We are on the edge of fields with houses opposite and a next door neighbour.

Between April -early June, a healthy hive will increase rapidly in numbers (from say 8,000 to 40,000 plus) and naturally they tend to run out of room. They then produce more queens and some of them go and swarm with the old queen to find a new home.

This new home can be in anything from a hole in a tree to a hole in a house wall, to a chimney. Neighbours who don't understand tend to get a little upset if it's their house... and if they have children worry about stings.

A responsible beekeeper near neighbours - check space and try to prevent swarming or at least control it so they don't lose their bees.

If you are in the country with few neighbours, you can if you want let them swarm but you'll get little if any honey.

Try reading the beginners section in Beginners section - Beekeeping Forum

Feel free to ask any questions.. PM me if you want.

[SkyChild]

This is really useful. I didn't realise people in populated areas could keep bees - I sort of though that you'd need to be out in the country somewhere. May need to wait a bit until I don't have any small kids running about. But mean time I will read the Haynes manual

[Madasafish]

Sad to say , but beesfind more pollen and nectar from gardens than many farms: monoculture is bad news for bees as is the removal of hedgerows..Lots of bees kept in central London including on roof tops

Harvesting honey from London's rooftops: meet Bermondsey's bee master - Steve Benbow | Homes & Property