Topic: Bee hives

[straush]

i looked around and saw hives from pine or cedar.  now i know cedar is going to last lots of years but is there a view on the pine ones ?  they are a lot cheaper but i guess thats for a reason ...   any ideas where i can get reasonably priced hives ?   i want to try this for a season but not sure if i wiill like it ... i have already done my course but we can only open hives once the weatehr gets better

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're heavier and don't last so long, but they're cheaper. You should either get any future hives second-hand or from Thorne's New Year sale, but it's too late for that this year, unless you strike lucky.

[Vortex]

Contact your local beekeeping association you may find somebody with a second hand hive - they may, like my association run all summer long open sessions where you can go along and work the hives under supervision - this is a much better and far less expensive way of determining if you're cut out for it. Standing in a mass of 1000-10000 flying bees even if they're not stinging is quite daunting, as is handling the frames initially. Like everything you get used to it after a while, and that includes being stung - well almost.
If you're only thinking of trying this for a year to see if you like it then a well made pine hive (Fragile Planet www.fragile-planet.co.uk) will be more than sufficient. I'd advise running a National Hive as these are most common in this country and therefore much easier to pass on or obtain.

[straush]

thanks - i think i will buy a cedar one and hopefully get some bees