Does anyone keep bees?
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Jenny Green
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I'd really like to try this one day and I'd like to hear others' experiences - or even if you know someone who does it's be great if you could pass on some tips/advice.
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peter
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My dad did.
what advice are you after?
what advice are you after?
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Jenny Green
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Well, how much effort it is, really, and if they're likely to swarm and sting the neighbours - would they be safe at the end of my garden (about 140 ft with a wildish area at the bottom)? How long can you leave them for in the summer? I doubt I'll get the neighbour to tend to them as well as feed the cats.
Did your dad enjoy keeping them or were they a bother in the end?
Did your dad enjoy keeping them or were they a bother in the end?
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
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Myrkk
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Hi
I've been keeping bees since last year so am still a beginner and it's a steep learning curve. But I'll give you my twopennies worth anyhow...... I couldn't survive at the moment without my very friendly local beekeeping club who are a font of knowledge. They also tell me that you can know loads of beekeepers and they will all keep bees differently
)
My hive is 10ft from the wall between our garden and the primary school next door. Because of planting and the way we have faced the hive the bees go straight up in to the air and any heading towards the school go straight over peoples heads. i.e. if you have tall walls or shrubs they force the bees upwards.
From what I've been told most beginners can expect to lose a swarm [or two] but there are management techniques to induce artificial swarms when your hive looks like it is getting ready to swarm and thus prevent stray bees.
Generally you need to check your bees once a week when you are starting off but when you get more experienced you can leave them a couple of weeks.
I would recommend going to one of your local beekeeping meetings and getting a chance to open a hive and see if you will be able to cope with thousands of bees and not get the heeby jeebies. I was fine at the meeting but my smoker went out the first time I did it by myself and it certainly got the adrenaline pumping looking down and seeing the front of my suit black with bees. Another reason is because it is not cheap to set up.
check out www.bbka.org.uk for further info. and your local club and for bee-keeping supplies try www.beekeeping.co.uk
MY personal opinion is that it is a fascinating world and very worthwhile.
The book I started off reading was by Ted Hooper, think it was called Guide to Bees and Honey
I've been keeping bees since last year so am still a beginner and it's a steep learning curve. But I'll give you my twopennies worth anyhow...... I couldn't survive at the moment without my very friendly local beekeeping club who are a font of knowledge. They also tell me that you can know loads of beekeepers and they will all keep bees differently
)
My hive is 10ft from the wall between our garden and the primary school next door. Because of planting and the way we have faced the hive the bees go straight up in to the air and any heading towards the school go straight over peoples heads. i.e. if you have tall walls or shrubs they force the bees upwards.
From what I've been told most beginners can expect to lose a swarm [or two] but there are management techniques to induce artificial swarms when your hive looks like it is getting ready to swarm and thus prevent stray bees.
Generally you need to check your bees once a week when you are starting off but when you get more experienced you can leave them a couple of weeks.
I would recommend going to one of your local beekeeping meetings and getting a chance to open a hive and see if you will be able to cope with thousands of bees and not get the heeby jeebies. I was fine at the meeting but my smoker went out the first time I did it by myself and it certainly got the adrenaline pumping looking down and seeing the front of my suit black with bees. Another reason is because it is not cheap to set up.
check out www.bbka.org.uk for further info. and your local club and for bee-keeping supplies try www.beekeeping.co.uk
MY personal opinion is that it is a fascinating world and very worthwhile.
The book I started off reading was by Ted Hooper, think it was called Guide to Bees and Honey
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peter
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Well, how much effort it is, really?
Preparation is quite intensive, you need to design a spot for the hive(s). Sheltered, secure and fenced/hedged so as to "lift" the flightline to a person avoiding height.
They need checking regularly from outside the hive and less frequently inside the hive. Protective gear is needed and a smoker for "internals".
If they're likely to swarm?
Unless you regularly inspect and remove queen cells you will sooner or later get a swarm. Even if inspected reularly they may swarm. This is where a queen leaves with alot of the workers to set up a new colony. You keep a smaller colony in the hive and if prepared, able and correctly equipped you can capture and hive the swarm. It is a summer only event and can be frightening, bees in a huge cloud flying with purpose, best defence hit the deck, or run into a dark place. They do fly fast.
Sting the neighbours.
Sooner or later someone will get stung by your bee's. The worst risk is if they wander down when the bees are about to swarm and flail at the flying bees. One bee stinging gives off a come and help me sting the intruders smell. Provided you did your design and build OK the risk is minimised.
Would they be safe at the end of my garden (about 140 ft with a wildish area at the bottom)?
See the above point on design.
But, sounds good, dad and friend next door both did the same for their bees.
How long can you leave them for in the summer?
As long as you want, see notes on swarming, if you are happy yo loose a swarm then no worries.
I doubt I'll get the neighbour to tend to them as well as feed the cats.
Don't need to.
Winter is when you may need to feed your bees with sugar-syrup or sugar-block.
Did your dad enjoy keeping them or were they a bother in the end?
He loved it, I didn't.
Neighbour still there, still has bees.
Dad tended them once wihout noticing a hole in his shirt armpit, remember watching mum, going over him scraping off the stings.
Hints.
Bees disembowel themselves when they sting, barbs in the sting drag out the sting, muscle and poison sac, leaving it all embedded and pumping in more poison. Grasping the bits does the injection in one, they need to be scraped off/out with a fingernail.
Beeproof clothing works, provided you put it on properly and check it for holes.
Beekeepers who get stung regularly tend to have less problems with arthritus and become semi-immune to stings (nettle strength reaction).
Some people (neighbours eldest daughter for example) become allergic to beestings, very dangerous, need an eppy-pen.
Seek out and consult your local beekeeping association, usually a county based thing, you should find someone prepared to let you watch the processes etc, you might even get a mentor.
Byproduct is wax.
Can be expensive, timber hives, frames to go inside, wax sheets embossed with cell pattern and go into frames.
Hope this helps.
Preparation is quite intensive, you need to design a spot for the hive(s). Sheltered, secure and fenced/hedged so as to "lift" the flightline to a person avoiding height.
They need checking regularly from outside the hive and less frequently inside the hive. Protective gear is needed and a smoker for "internals".
If they're likely to swarm?
Unless you regularly inspect and remove queen cells you will sooner or later get a swarm. Even if inspected reularly they may swarm. This is where a queen leaves with alot of the workers to set up a new colony. You keep a smaller colony in the hive and if prepared, able and correctly equipped you can capture and hive the swarm. It is a summer only event and can be frightening, bees in a huge cloud flying with purpose, best defence hit the deck, or run into a dark place. They do fly fast.
Sting the neighbours.
Sooner or later someone will get stung by your bee's. The worst risk is if they wander down when the bees are about to swarm and flail at the flying bees. One bee stinging gives off a come and help me sting the intruders smell. Provided you did your design and build OK the risk is minimised.
Would they be safe at the end of my garden (about 140 ft with a wildish area at the bottom)?
See the above point on design.
But, sounds good, dad and friend next door both did the same for their bees.
How long can you leave them for in the summer?
As long as you want, see notes on swarming, if you are happy yo loose a swarm then no worries.
I doubt I'll get the neighbour to tend to them as well as feed the cats.
Don't need to.
Winter is when you may need to feed your bees with sugar-syrup or sugar-block.
Did your dad enjoy keeping them or were they a bother in the end?
He loved it, I didn't.
Neighbour still there, still has bees.
Dad tended them once wihout noticing a hole in his shirt armpit, remember watching mum, going over him scraping off the stings.
Hints.
Bees disembowel themselves when they sting, barbs in the sting drag out the sting, muscle and poison sac, leaving it all embedded and pumping in more poison. Grasping the bits does the injection in one, they need to be scraped off/out with a fingernail.
Beeproof clothing works, provided you put it on properly and check it for holes.
Beekeepers who get stung regularly tend to have less problems with arthritus and become semi-immune to stings (nettle strength reaction).
Some people (neighbours eldest daughter for example) become allergic to beestings, very dangerous, need an eppy-pen.
Seek out and consult your local beekeeping association, usually a county based thing, you should find someone prepared to let you watch the processes etc, you might even get a mentor.
Byproduct is wax.
Can be expensive, timber hives, frames to go inside, wax sheets embossed with cell pattern and go into frames.
Hope this helps.
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
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sally wright
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Dear Jenny,
do not site the beehive where it's flight path will be over any of the following. Washing lines, cars, patio furniture or large expanses of clean glass eg a conservatory. Bee c**p may not seem like a big problem but with @60,000 bums producing daily the above mentioned can get covered very rapidly. It stains due to the pollen residues, corrodes because of acids formed by the breakdown of sugars and is usually bright yellow and so is rather noticable.
Regards Sally Wright.
do not site the beehive where it's flight path will be over any of the following. Washing lines, cars, patio furniture or large expanses of clean glass eg a conservatory. Bee c**p may not seem like a big problem but with @60,000 bums producing daily the above mentioned can get covered very rapidly. It stains due to the pollen residues, corrodes because of acids formed by the breakdown of sugars and is usually bright yellow and so is rather noticable.
Regards Sally Wright.
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Jenny Green
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Many thanks to all three of you for that extremely useful advice. One last question, how many pounds of honey does one hive make - approximately of course?
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
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peter
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..... not.
It all depends on the weather, the flowers available and the strength of your individual hive(s).
It all depends on the weather, the flowers available and the strength of your individual hive(s).
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
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Jenny Green
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Okay - what about a bad year's yield and a good year's yield?
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
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peter
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I defer to those who currently keep bee's.
But suggest that your local association may have a good idea.
But suggest that your local association may have a good idea.
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.
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Myrkk
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a bad year zero and zero honey to support the bees over winter......... 
a good year...... well last year one of the association apiaries had 7 supers on it!!
It varies from year to year.
a good year...... well last year one of the association apiaries had 7 supers on it!!
It varies from year to year.
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Jenny Green
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Sorry Myrrk I am thick - how does 7 supers translate into pounds of honey, do you know?
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
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Myrkk
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No you're not thick........ unless I am too ) I don't know.
According to what I remember from Hooper a 3" x 4" piece of brood comb full of sealed honey is around half a pound of honey. So it depends upon the size of the frames you use in the super and what size of super you use........ sorry, that's not much help is it......
) I don't know.
According to what I remember from Hooper a 3" x 4" piece of brood comb full of sealed honey is around half a pound of honey. So it depends upon the size of the frames you use in the super and what size of super you use........ sorry, that's not much help is it......
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Jenny Green
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It seems the difference in yield is somewhere between no honey at all and lots of honey! 
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
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Myrkk
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Yep 
As Peter says, it depends upon the strength of the hive, the area you live, the amount of bee hives around, the weather and you.
It's only once you start going to an association meet that you realise how much is involved. Once you're practiced it doesn't take long but to start with you spend ages looking at the comb trying to figure out if that is an egg at the bottom, whether or not that is a new queen that needs marking, is that honey, pollen or........??? Should you leave that queen cup/cell or remove it and my personal favourite...........
how do I get my smoker to stay lit corrugated cardboard is my choice at the mo.
As Peter says, it depends upon the strength of the hive, the area you live, the amount of bee hives around, the weather and you.
It's only once you start going to an association meet that you realise how much is involved. Once you're practiced it doesn't take long but to start with you spend ages looking at the comb trying to figure out if that is an egg at the bottom, whether or not that is a new queen that needs marking, is that honey, pollen or........??? Should you leave that queen cup/cell or remove it and my personal favourite...........
how do I get my smoker to stay lit
corrugated cardboard is my choice at the mo.