I want bees!

[emmy1978]

Wow! To be totally honest I had no idea (foolishly) bee-keeping was so complicated. I thought they were quite self sufficient little beasties!! It hasn't put me off, but certainly a lot to think about. As I say, for me it's not a short term goal, but something I'd definately like in the future.
What is the varroa mite and where did it come from? Sounds quite nasty.
I'd definately do things through my local bee-keeping assoc, always good to have the local support, and thanks Bombus for the tip about Lincoln show. Have rellys up there and always good to combine visit with ulterior motive!!! 
On topic of running things past lottie neighbours, don't think anything I will do in next few years will please any of them. Already been told I won't cope with lottie and being mum to my kids, not to grow any foriegn rubbish (???) that I won't
be able to grow organically (didn't say owt about it, this was just volunteered!!! Never mind, will win them all over with my dedication and charm!!  ::)

[triffid]

Bees normally are 'self sufficient little beasties'.  :)

The trouble with varroa is it's an imported parasite. It was first found in Britain in 1992, since when it's pretty much killed off all our wild honeybee colonies.

Its natural host is the Asian honeybee, with which it coexists because varroa mites can only reproduce in drone cells of this species. This means that it never threatens the health of the whole colony, as there are far fewer drones (male bees) than workers and they are only present for part of the year.

Unfortunately, varroa can reproduce in worker cells of the European honeybee. This means that infestations are bigger and last through the whole brood-rearing season, from early spring to late autum: this can easily cause the collapse of a colony. In addition, varroa leaves European honeybees much more susceptible to a raft of nasty viruses (a bit like us after we've had a cold and then get two or three infections on the back of it :()

For lots more info: http://www.defra.gov.uk/hort/Bees/Varroa/index.htm
and (with pictures) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varroa_destructor

[Robert_Brenchley]

The good news is that honeybees do have the potential to develop immunity to varroa. Actually getting there is quite a problem, and beekeepers don't help by preserving susceptible strains. The best thing for the bees, now we've introduced the horrible things, would be to leave them totally alone. 99.99% would die out, and the few remaining colonies would repopulate the country with fully resistant bees.

[flossie]

Yes it does sound a lot more complicated than when Dad and I kept bees ???

[triffid]

Yes it does sound a lot more complicated than when Dad and I kept bees ???

;) It's only complicated when things go wrong. Mostly it still comes down to 'bees make honey; beekeeper steals honey'.  ;D

[emmy1978]

 ;) It's only complicated when things go wrong. Mostly it still comes down to 'bees make honey; beekeeper steals honey'.  ;D
[/quote]
Gosh that sounds really evil, but guess that's about right!! Poor little bees!

[Robert_Brenchley]

You use a hive design which gets them to store far more than a 'natural' colony would, then only take the excess. Honey inside the broodbox is strictly for the bees, and is never touched by sensible beekeepers!

[emmy1978]

Glad to know they still get some...the balance is restored and I am happy again!
So impressed -I have to say you guys really know your stuff.
This is brill place to find things out as you get all sides of the topic covered- very interesting. Much more so than saying to some-one "oh I've always wanted bees" and them going "ooh, bees sting" or something equally as inane!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I had a quick look at mine yesterday; both surviving colonies are alive. In a couple of months, assuming they still have viable queens, they'll be starting to build up again for the new season.

[Jeannine]

Just noticed this one and would like to ask something if it is not too late. I have had a soft spot for bees for a great many years  and often dreamed of having them .I  would love to learn about them and have a go. My big concern putting them on the lottie is the worry of vandalism,it is one thing having my pumpkins smashed or a cauli stolen but does anyone have any experience of damage with regard to the bees please. Thank you JeannineXX

[bombus]

Hi Jeannine, It's not just allotments where vandalism happens to hives, I have had Hives pushed over several times now. It's just a sign of the times I'm afraid. One one occasion the hive had been on it's side for 3 days before i found it. I just put everything back in its place and the Bees just went about their buissnes. All just part of the fun i guess

[Robert_Brenchley]

Hives which are anywhere visible are always vulnerable to idiots. The best way to avoid it is to keep them out of sight, but that isn't always possible.

One old book suggests having a nasty-tempered colony near the enrance to any apiary, but that wouldn't be a good plan with close neighbours. It could easily end up affecting the tempers of the other colonies as well.

[Jeannine]

Thank you for the answers, I will think on it, we would probably treat them like pets and get all upset if anything happened to them. I got really interested many years ago when I was in Oregon, there was gift shop that had something rigged up in the wall. from outside there was just a small entrance but from inside the shop one could see the whole interior of the hive as the part of the  hive wall inside was glass ,it was so fascinating I stood there for ages and watched them. XX Jeannine

[kt.]

Dont know if you read the national papers last week but this may be of interest to you:

Apparently, due to the hot summers there is a strain of wasp coming to this country that kills bees. It is in Europe already. Dont know much else about it as I only read the headline, then noticed your thread this evening.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Those are Asian hornets, which are real horrors. Apparently they don't cope with frost very well, so hopefully they won't get established here.

[JRP]

Although I am brand new to lottie life and my lottie needs lots of work to even have one little bed this year, I have found out we are allowed bees on our site. I would really love this as my grandparents neighbours kept bees and their honey was just superb. Does anyone have any experience of beekeeping, what are thoughts on it and how would I go about getting them (lie in wait by flowers and beenap them)
I saw Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall programme where beeman ( official title)  ???caught him a swarm and delivered them, is this the usual way? Ideas on cost etc. Thanks!! :)

;D Hi Emmy,what a great idea to keep bees on a allotment plot site.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John. J.R.P.

[triffid]

It's only complicated when things go wrong. Mostly it still comes down to 'bees make honey; beekeeper steals honey'. 

Gosh that sounds really evil, but guess that's about right!! Poor little bees!

:-[ Emmy, so sorry: should have said: 'beekeeper steals excess honey'. We leave a min of 40lb of honey for them over winter, which serves not only as food but as thermal insulation. Bees don't have a 'stop' button that says 'we've got enough honey stored here'. They just keep bringing in nectar as long as it's there and they can reach it; as Robert says, we just keep adding more room for them to process and store it in!

*not an evil beekeeper, honest :)*

[Jeannine]

I just have to ask, do you tell you secrets to your bees? XX Jeannine

[Robert_Brenchley]

No, but when the owner does, you're supposed to go and knock on each hive, and tell them the bad news, and who the new owner is. Otherwise they desert the hive, or that's what tradition says anyway. They're supposed to turn up to the funeral as well. I did actually hear of a beekeeper's funeral a couple of years ago which was interrupted by the arrival of a swarm.

[emmy1978]

I just have to ask, do you tell you secrets to your bees? XX Jeannine

What!? Sounds great. I've never heard of this, would one of you explain!