A BEE thread....for those interested in beekeeping.

[vpatt]

I'm sorry you lost your bees. Will you get more?

 

[3goodeggs]

Oh No! I am so sorry! Please get more. You were doing so well.
My husband has been worried about that and we are in Florida,
There was an interesting Hive that I found on Pinterest that is plastic and insulated.

My husband likes the idea because it can be sterilized if it needs to be.
I imagine they are very expensive though.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Went to check on the hive today and all the bees are dead.

I think it was a combination of too much moisture and a January-like cold snap for most of November.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[sunflower4you]

Thanks to all for the condolences. We already ordered a colony for spring as Plan B. Figured we would start a second hive if the original colony survived.

 

[BeachBumBiddies]

Thanks. Yeah, i have read Elderberry are native to the US so growing them shouldn't be a problem...I hope....lol

 

[mak1]

Chilling with the bees!!

 

[Sfraker]

Question for you

We grow much of our own food. I have a huge vegetable garden and lots of fruit trees. I would love to have a bee hive to help with my plants and trees polination along with simply enjoying a busy bee colony. I've read so much about the decline in bees that I would like to help with that too. I really don't have interest in collecting honey. I've been looking into bee keeping however everything is aimed at honey collection.
I know I would need to check the hive for disease, pests, etc... I've been reading about all the maintenance needed. But what I can't find info on is can I have bees without collecting the honey?

 

[Amiga]

From what I read, you can indeed have a hive and let them keep their honey. You may be interested in some of the folks like Corwin Bell, and the Barefoot Beekeeper, and BushFarms.

My plan is to take perhaps one top bar every couple of years or so. What I mean is, the honey from one top bar - that could easily by 5 pounds of honey - much more than I currently use.

My aim is also to improve pollination and protect some bees.

You may appreciate this recent video.

What I don't know about bees would fill a large library

But I have come across people writing that if you don't take honey, or if you don't do this or that, the hive might swarm. For someone who is not trying to follow recent conventional-industrial practices, that may not bee such a bad thing, as that is the way new hives are established. So you may want to read what the above folks say about letting the bees branch out and establish new hives. There are ways, I have read, to attract a swarm to a particular spot.

Please look over some of the above and share your thoughts.

 

[1muttsfan]

I keep bees mostly for the reasons you mention, and for a little honey as well. Top Bar hives would probably be an ideal way for you to go.

Even if you do not keep the hives primarily for honey, you do still have to manage them to keep the bees from filling the hive and then swarming.

 

[mak1]

well how do wild bees live? nobody takes takes there honey. You do have to make sure they have enough food. If their is no honey you should start feeding.