Produce > Kept Animals
Bees and Beekeeping
Robert_Brenchley:
Six Nationals, all converted to 14x12. Four are occupied, as my September splits failed.
Geoff H:
--- Quote from: gwynnethmary on November 19, 2009, 23:07:53 ---Hi- we don't keep bees, but my husband has just made a lovely des res for bumble bees to go in our garden- has also made a posh version for our son and daughter-in-law for Christmas. When is the best time to place it in the garden ?
--- End quote ---
Spring. The queens have gone into hibernation now and will start looking for nests in spring. You can buy bumble nests but most don't get occupied and your hubbies may suffer the same fate. Bumble bees nest in the debris of old mouse or rats nests and I have read that the queen bee seeks them out by following the scent of rodent urine.
Last summer i had to rescue a bumble bee nest that had been exposed by a shed demolition. It was in the middle of a mass of paper and dry moss. If you can get any pet bedding from suitable specie that might help but they do need suitable material in the box. Remember it only lasts a year.
tonybloke:
--- Quote from: gwynnethmary on November 19, 2009, 23:07:53 ---Hi- we don't keep bees, but my husband has just made a lovely des res for bumble bees to go in our garden- has also made a posh version for our son and daughter-in-law for Christmas. When is the best time to place it in the garden ?
--- End quote ---
now, to let mice move in for the winter, it's the smell of mice that bumble bees look for
tonybloke:
--- Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on November 19, 2009, 23:15:44 ---Six Nationals, all converted to 14x12.
--- End quote ---
were they easy to convert?
Toadspawn:
I united four stocks into two . Unfortunately I could not find the queen in one stock so the pair were united with two queens. Presumably they fought and one won. Don't know which one yet. Both stocks on double brood and both fed with 1.5-2 gals syrup. However, they worked something (ivy?) afterwards taking in so much pollen and nectar that they are too heavy to heft. Any bit of dry weather they are still flying and working some flowers. Hopefully they will come through the winter as strong stocks because (un)fortunately oilseed rape about 100 yds away. I think I might try for some cut comb because quick granulation will not matter as I will not need to extract it.
Just ended two years of chairman of the local group and we are lucky to have Kate Humble as one of our members now as she lives in the area and has acquired bees from another of our members.
Had a good day promoting beekeeping and the importance of pollination at a local 'apple day'. There is so much interest that our training course has double the amount of applicants they we can handle effectively.
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