Posted: 1/13/2010 4:30:43 AM EDT
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This year I'm finally going to get off my rump and get into beekeeping. Fordguy asked me to start a thread and share the experience(FG-I'll call when the hives get here so you can walk me through it) and I'll keep somewhat of a photo journal here for it. I'm also going to keep a running total of the costs associated with the project here in the first post. So far I've ordered a hive kit from Betterbee for around $330 shipped. It includes everything I need for ONE colony. Problem is, most beekeepers recommend that you start with no less than 2 colonies, so that if one begins to suffer you can supplement via the other hive. Since I found out after the fact that I will need a second hive, and that cypress hives will last MUCH longer down here in Louisiana, I'll be ordering one or two additional hives from Rossman's Aviary that will be cypress. I chose Rossman's because I couldn't build a cypress hive for much less than they are selling them for, so I'll save time.
Now for the bees. You can buy a swarm, you can buy a Nuc, or you can buy a package. A swarm is an existing colony of bees in search of a new home. They are all working together and ready to build a new home for themselves. These are the bees that often show up in the walls of people's homes and sheds, and you might see them hanging from a branch in a tree. This is the best option for starting a new colony. A Nuc is a Nucleus group, basically an existing colony that was uprooted and transplanted. If swarms are unavailable, this is the next best thing, and rarely are there any problems with starting your colony in this manner. Lastly is a Package; which might consist of 15000 bees from multiple colonies, and a queen that none of those bees have every seen before. The queen will be separated, yet in the same box, so that the workers can get used to her smell. This is the worst option to colonize a hive, yet still relatively successful. Swarm season(at least, in Louisiana) starts in February, and I've made contact with a real nice exterminator that has offered to give me a few swarms as soon as he starts getting calls for them. My next step is picking a spot that is not only safe FOR my kids(4 boys) but will keep the bees safe FROM my kids and any other threats. I've chosen a position between me and my neighbor's garden, and there is enough open space to plant some wildflowers. I'll start posting pics as soon as I begin clearing the spot and get the hive set up. If you're interested in getting into beekeeping, stay tuned and learn from my mistakes. Hopefully by the end of the year we'll have a good walkthru going here. Location: Surrounding the play yard and garden fence are blackberry bushes, tons of them. There are tons of fruit trees, and I will be planting the clover soon. If you can think of why this is a poor spot, please let me know. 
-Paul ETA - I'm a total bee newbie. If you've got advice, hints, etc., please don't hesitate to post it in this thread so we can all learn from it. |
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Quoted:
My next step is picking a spot ...(snip)... I've chosen a position between me and my neighbor's garden, and there is enough open space to plant some wildflowers. I'll start posting pics as soon as I begin clearing the spot and get the hive set up. How about posting pics BEFORE you clear the spot? The reason I mention this is that I saw pics of a hive last fall that had pounds of dead bees all around the hive. Turned out the LOCATION of the hive was poor and they starved even though there was still plenty of easy-to-gather food for the bees. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
My next step is picking a spot ...(snip)... I've chosen a position between me and my neighbor's garden, and there is enough open space to plant some wildflowers. I'll start posting pics as soon as I begin clearing the spot and get the hive set up. How about posting pics BEFORE you clear the spot? The reason I mention this is that I saw pics of a hive last fall that had pounds of dead bees all around the hive. Turned out the LOCATION of the hive was poor and they starved even though there was still plenty of easy-to-gather food for the bees. Will do |
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I ordered the 8 frame beginner's kit from Betterbee, but I did that before I spoke with the local bee guy, who advised me otherwise.
He said to use cypress hives, 9 5/8" bottom box, 3 6 5/8" suppers, a migratory top and a regular cypress bottom board. He said landing pads are great, but require extra work when its cold because you have to cover them. I'm hoping to get my first hive in next week, and order the second(cypress) one on pay day. I'll try to snap pics of the location I'm thinking of, as well as mspaint of the surrounding area tomorrow. |
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Added mspaint of where I plan to house the bees. A privacy fence blocks any North wind and there is plenty of space for them to fly in and out. Where is the property line? Is that your barn? or your neighbor's? If that is your barn I would put them on the back side of it. The bees will find the fruit trees and the gardens, I assure you of that. What is the distance between the garden and the hives? Its not wise to be in front of the hives. If you're in the bees "landing airspace" they will be more likely to sting or at least buzz you. I wouldn't face them towards the garden like the picture shows unless its 50+ feet away. Otherwise people tending the garden may be stung or "bothered" by the bees. Also, being close isn't always good. It is debatable if bees can accurately communicate the location of extremely close nectar sources. They can "pinpoint" far away sources, but they struggle to communicate nearby locations. They will still find those places, but they won't be able to tell the others as accurately. |
| The garden directly South of the hives is at least 50ft, maybe further, at the closest point. It is all raised beds. That garden, and the barn, belong to the neighbors. Fortunately they are my parents, so property lines are a non issue, but putting the bees against the barn won't work. Too many grandkids play around the barn for me to feel comfortable with it. |