For those needing some inspiration during winter a few pictures

[Madasafish]

As it's still winter and I can't do much outside (build lots of hives in the garage), here a a few pictures.......

[Scarlet]

I would love one but OH has an allergy to bees....though I also wanted to keep a few pigs, I went to view some piglets and the mother was so nasty it really put me off. I would love a goat though

[Nicos]

Gosh...that's quite a few hives!

How many swarms do you have ( is that the correct term???)
How are they coping with this winter so far?
I saw my first wild bee of the year the other day heavily laden with pollen taken from my Xmas roses!

How much honey are you hoping to get this year????

Thanks for sharing your piccies...lovely to see

[ancee]

They look brilliant! I would love to have bees. Brilliant little creatures (my favourite creatures actually but don't tell the other creatures!)

[Madasafish]

I have 7 full and one half full colonies.

I had a bad disease outbreak last year which left me with one colony (diseased ones had to be destroyed) but swarming and two donated colonies brought me back up.


I would be happy with 50lbs of honey - as I got none last year :-( but it all depends on the weather (which was cold and wet in 2015).


Mine have all survived winter - so far - it has been very mild. I envelop my wooden hives with a cosy of insulation (Celotex or similar) - to reduce heat losses.

[Lisasbolt]

sounds wonderful i would also love to have bee´s, my mums cousin up north keeps 4 hives and the honey is out of this world

[Madasafish]

sounds wonderful i would also love to have bee´s, my mums cousin up north keeps 4 hives and the honey is out of this world

It can be hard work in swarming time: May-July...Beekeeping is not all honey... part of its allure..When I compare it to when I kept quails, it's about 50 times more demanding..

[Lisasbolt]

It can be hard work in swarming time: May-July...Beekeeping is not all honey... part of its allure..When I compare it to when I kept quails, it's about 50 times more demanding..

Yes he has had several swam and they can be very expensive to buy.

[mothhawk]

Did you make the see-through crown board yourself, Maaf, and if so, how hard is polycarbonate (it is polycarbonate, is it?) to cut?

[Madasafish]

Did you make the see-through crown board yourself, Maaf, and if so, how hard is polycarbonate (it is polycarbonate, is it?) to cut?

Polycarbonate. I use an electric jigsaw, with a fine blade and moderate speed (too high and the poly melts)
use it on the (SMALL) gap between the jaws on a Workmate with the poly held down with clamps. Minimum pressure or the poly cracks..

(take your time )

[mothhawk]

Polycarbonate. I use an electric jigsaw, with a fine blade and moderate speed (too high and the poly melts)
use it on the (SMALL) gap between the jaws on a Workmate with the poly held down with clamps. Minimum pressure or the poly cracks..

(take your time )

I shall have to sweet talk my bro, then. he's the one with a jigsaw. I like the idea of being able to see in without disturbing the colony too much.

Mind you, so far I only have a hive - no bees yet, this will be my first year....I hope

[Madasafish]

More pictures from this am. Sunny and 11C. Windy but bees flying and bringing in some grey pollen (ivy most probably)

[Madasafish]

Nice and sunny this pm after a cold start so bees out flying strongly and bringing in some crocus pollen.

[Madasafish]

Bees enjoying collecting pollen from crocus - to feed young. If you look closely, you can see pollen collected on its right leg .

[Nicos]

Lovely to see your bees...thanks for sharing the piccies with us