Topic: Advice wanted as I might be hosting bees soon...

[chriscross1966]

Hi folks,
I took on an allotment this year and as luck would have it one of the other holders (who never seems to be there when I am but their plot is well maintained) has a hive of bees. Apparently she had to jump through hoops with things like risk assessments but now all of that is in the files......

A friend of mine is being hassled to move his bees as he moved frmo a council house onto a narrowboat recently. He used to keep the bees in a small suburban garden but the waterways people want the bees gone form his mooring by th etime the summer comes. They seem to be pretty understaning in some respects, they are aware that honey  bees rarely sting peopleunless you seriously provoke them but they are also aware that last time they let a houseboater keep bees anyone whoe was stung by anything yellow and stripy within a mile of the place would complain to them about being stung by tone of "their" bees......

All he really needs is a place to keep a hive or two, I'm happy to have it sit in the middle of my dried-bean/popcorn/squash 3-sisters planting pollinating the beans and squash. I'll need to put up a sign to keep the site happy but what else do I need to be aware of?.... He's offering to come and do any normal maintainence that is required but I would like to jknow more about the process of keeping bees on a small scale in this country, is there anywhere I can get info ?

chrisc

[Robert_Brenchley]

Where are you? You need the local Beekeepers' Association, but there's a fair chance that your friend with the bees and the other plotholder will already belong to it. They're the obvious people to ask. With close neighbours you want good-tempered bees, not followers, and from a strain that doesn't swarm too much. Following is when they keep buzzing around people, and it creates stinging incidents which you don't want. Swarming is harmless but it scares people. You need a beekeeper who's on the job and knows what they're doing, and if you can get the hives facing a wall or hedge six feet high (a shed would do it) so they're pushed up above head level, that keeps them out of contact with other people.

I've got some followers right now, I hate the bloody things, and I can't wait to have enough drones to be able to requeen that hive! I didn't raise the queen, it's a colony that was passed on to me.

[chriscross1966]

Where are you? You need the local Beekeepers' Association, but there's a fair chance that your friend with the bees and the other plotholder will already belong to it. They're the obvious people to ask. With close neighbours you want good-tempered bees, not followers, and from a strain that doesn't swarm too much. Following is when they keep buzzing around people, and it creates stinging incidents which you don't want. Swarming is harmless but it scares people. You need a beekeeper who's on the job and knows what they're doing, and if you can get the hives facing a wall or hedge six feet high (a shed would do it) so they're pushed up above head level, that keeps them out of contact with other people.

I've got some followers right now, I hate the bloody things, and I can't wait to have enough drones to be able to requeen that hive! I didn't raise the queen, it's a colony that was passed on to me.

Oxford... I will ask them of course... I'm just one of those people that likes looking uip multiple sources :D

chrisc

[Robert_Brenchley]

Whereabouts? I grew up on Cowley Road.

[louise stella]

I love the idea of bee keeping - we have two ladies on our site who keep them and it fascinates me!

What are followers by the way?

Louise

[Robert_Brenchley]

Bees that buzz around you. It's inherited, and it's a bloody pain even if you're used to bees! If you're not, it's a major panic inducer. That, unprovoked stinging, and constant swarming are three characteristics to avoid like the plague if you have close neighbours.

[chriscross1966]

Whereabouts? I grew up on Cowley Road.

Redbridge.
..... for a second there I thought you'd written "...I threw up on Cowley Road..." and I was thinking  "yes, well we were all students once, and we've all done it, but it's not something to boast about ...." :D

chrisc

[Robert_Brenchley]

I did, but that was when I was under age drinking. The Cricketers' Arms was convenient from school and would serve anyone. The beer was vile, which may explain why!

[chriscross1966]

I did, but that was when I was under age drinking. The Cricketers' Arms was convenient from school and would serve anyone. The beer was vile, which may explain why!

But that's on Iffley Road surely.....

[Robert_Brenchley]

It is, but it's not far away, and as I say, it was convenient for school, so we all went. I remember chundering on the way back a time or two.

[Twoflower]

it's a good job i've had my tea :P