Author Topic: First steps to beekeeping (Read 12843 times)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2006, 18:01:16 »

You want something about six feet high in front of it to force the bees up above head height; you shouldn't keep bees where you've got close neighbours without this. If you have a shed, this should do the trick if you site the hive carefully. Then you need good-tempered bees, obviously; this is a matter of being careful about your queens, and replacing them if they ever get bad-tempered, which can occasionally happen with a new queen. If you've got a flourishing Association it shouldn't be hard to get a queen if you need one, and if you only have the one hive you are a bit vulnerable to it going queenless.

maureen · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2006, 19:43:54 »

Hello enjoy your bees and look after them well and enjoy the honey harvest leave plenty of food for the bees and take enough for yourself withought bees we would have no plants, what a thought..Maureen..

Lady Cosmos · « **Reply #22 on:** March 27, 2006, 19:30:59 »

Jesse, we have indeed a law in the village saying: It is prohibited to keep bees within a distance of 30 meter of houses or roads, unless at the distance of 6 meters from the hives is a fence, at least 2meters high or higher. The 30 meters is also for the owners of he hives own home (PPV art. 2.4.24) :o

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #23 on:** March 27, 2006, 22:43:08 »

Where are you?

pntalbot · « **Reply #24 on:** March 28, 2006, 07:46:48 »

Jesse,
It is situated next to 10ft high Hedge.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #25 on:** March 28, 2006, 15:59:06 »

That sounds like a good place to put it. Mine face into a five foot hedge, at least it's five foot when it's newly trimmed, but there's a drop on the far side so it's effectively more like six feet.

Lady Cosmos · « **Reply #26 on:** April 19, 2006, 21:37:26 »

Robert, I am in the Netherlands. We have quite a few regulations when you want to keep bees, Not only the distance you have to stay away from houses, people and roads but also for transporting th bees. My allotment f. i. is not such a good spot for my hives because I am to close to the bulbfields, of course that is a better spot for them so I have them at the end of a wood, the front at he waterside, a lot of trees on the other tree sides and at the moment they are very busy flying in with all colours , spec. the orange coloured pollen.Lost quite a few during wintertime. When inspecting today found one with only drone brood, rest was fine.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #27 on:** April 20, 2006, 10:17:19 »

It does vary a lot from coutry to country; here we have no regulations at all except for a few local ones. In general, the only rule is that nobody should be able to go to court and convince a judge that your bees are a nuisance. I lost one out of three over the winter; the other two are looking healthy. One has a little drone brood, but that one is very strong.

flossie · « **Reply #28 on:** April 20, 2006, 20:01:45 »

Thanks to all for all this information.

I am really interested in keeping some bees on my plot but the rules day that it is not allowed. Having read this I think I might try some anyway.

Are there any other "illegal" beekeepers out there?

Flossie

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #29 on:** April 20, 2006, 21:28:40 »

Yes, me. There are loads of allotment sites round the country where bees live quite happily without upsetting anyone. One Beekeepers' Association, I've a feeling it's in Kent, has its Association apiary (which means lots of bees, not necessarily nice or well cared for) on an allotment, and I believe there's an allotment site in London with it's own Beekeepers' Association. Keep good-tempered bees, don't let them swarm, and keep them out of sight.

Lady Cosmos · « **Reply #30 on:** May 09, 2006, 21:38:54 »

Hai Jesse, How is our beekeeping course going???
Hope you still enjoying it ;)

Svengali · « **Reply #31 on:** May 10, 2006, 07:53:22 »

Just found this thread - I too am considering re-starting in beekeeping (I kept them in Ireland, many years ago)
The current prices frighten me - so the link to the £36 hive is VERY interersting. I read in my local beekeeping newsletter that Scandinavian high-density polystyrene hives are superior to wooden ones, particularly for cold areas. Does anyone have any experience? Will they stay up in a high wind?
Not totally convinced yet - it may well depend upon cost - but I will follow this thread with interest.
JeremyB

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #32 on:** May 10, 2006, 09:11:54 »

People in cold climates who use them have very positive things to say, but if you're in Cumbria I doubt whether you'd need one; the problem in UK winters isn't cold, it's damp. Bees can take any degree of cold provided they're dry and have plenty of food stores. But a long, damp winter can cause its own difficulties. Insulated hives were tried in Britain in the first quearter of the last century, and soon dropped out of use, so I wouldn't bother. Contact the local Beekeepers' Association (S C Barnes, 01900 824872); they're the best people for local advice.

Lady Cosmos · « **Reply #33 on:** May 10, 2006, 18:33:28 »

Hai Jeremy, I know people in Canada are using those polystyrene beehives and it can be very cold there, but there are a few important negative points:
it wil give mice problems ::)
and if you have a lot of propolis it will damage the boxes when seperating them.
I don't think I would bother nor in UK nor in the Netherlands to change my wooden ones for polysterene ones. ;D

Svengali · « **Reply #34 on:** May 10, 2006, 19:50:46 »

Robert - could you check that link you gave please, (the one to the £36 hives) My mails keep bouncing!
JeremyB

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #35 on:** May 10, 2006, 20:19:49 »

Try phoning them. As far as I know they don't have a website, just an email addy; they don't sound particularly web literate so all sorts of things could have gone wrong.

The propolis point is a good one; UK bees can be quite profligate with it. I've occasionally heard things about animl damage to the polystyrene hives, and it makes sense that they would be rather more vulnerable than wood. Not that it takes a rat or a woodpecker long to go through wood if it makes up its mind to do so. Mice are easy to keep out; I have my own entrance design which keeps them at bay and minimises wasp problems as well.

Jesse · « **Reply #36 on:** May 10, 2006, 21:27:19 »

Quote from: Lady Cosmos on May 09, 2006, 21:38:54

Hai Jesse, How is our beekeeping course going???
Hope you still enjoying it ;)

Hi Lady Cosmos, yes we finished the beekeeping course and have joined our local club as non-beekeeping members. Me and 7yr old son have also been to one of the aipairy (sp?) meetings where we were able to open the hive and lift out the frames to inspect the hive. It's been very interesting. We hope to soon have a hive which will be kept at the clubs apiary which is great because at each meeting (which is every 10 days) we'll have experts on hand to help us whilst we're still learning.

Lady Cosmos · « **Reply #37 on:** May 10, 2006, 21:53:45 »

Great Jesse, Nice that your son is joining as well. Do you mean with meetings practical lessons? And do you get a hive from the club?

Jesse · « **Reply #38 on:** May 10, 2006, 22:01:28 »

The meetings are every 10 days, during the meeting they open the hives and inspect the bees, we all have a turn opening them and talk about what's going on. I haven't been to a saturday meeting yet but I believe there's cake etc afterwards (yummy!). It's good because as a beginner they have veils for us to use and all the equipment (even had a bee suit for my son) so little initial expense. Once we know for sure that beekeeping is something we want to do then we'll buy our own veils etc. The hive is an offer with the bee club for a year whilst we're learning so yes it's provided by the club at a cost to us but much less than the cost of buying new and we have the reassurance of help there all the time whilst we're learning. After the year we'll probably buy a hive for the garden, allotment or who knows where, need to decide on the best site first. :)

Lady Cosmos · « **Reply #39 on:** May 10, 2006, 22:06:51 »

It is amazing he, when you open the hive.....
It is the most busy time now, last Tuesday I did everything to prevent swarming.....
and now it is waiting for 13 days ;D ;D ;D

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Author Topic: First steps to beekeeping (Read 12843 times)