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

[havi]

Here is a link to one of the top bar hives Ive been looking at.

http://www.top-bar-hive.com/

 

[sgtmom52]

Top bar hives are great if your main goal is pollination and not honey production. Top bars hive require that you destroy the comb when harvesting the honey where Langstroth hives do not. You can make cut comb honey from top bar hives. When harvesting honey from a Langstroth hive the comb remains mostly intact requiring some repair from the bees. In a top bar hive the bees must produce new comb. Bees must consume approx 10 pounds of honey to create 1 pound of beeswax which reduces the yield in a top bar hive.

That being said ~ we have all Langstroth hives right now, but plan on adding a top bar hive in the spring just for fun.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
I dont have bees, so you might ask someone who does. But when I first started looking into keeping bees I wanted(still do) Mason bees. Since DH said no to honey bees. I read in lots of different books and also online, that the honey bees and Mason bees pollinate at different times. People who have orchards should look into getting MB as they are the ones that come out and pollinate first. When the blooms are just starting to show. And its later in the season when HB start coming out. From what all I read, you shouldnt have a problem with the two.





Quote:
If you find out, please let me know. I want to get started with bees as well. Ive been reading up on the Top Bar Bee Hives and plan to make my own hive. Ive read lots of info on the two different bee hives and for me, the Top Bar Hive will be better. Plus I can build it myself. Which mean cheaper for me.

Thank you for the information. I also checked with our local Ag Department and they said that it should not be a problem since their habits are different in how the visit flowers and collect pollen.

 

[swheat]

subscribing to this thread, I have always wanted to have bees. Just don't know how to get started. I have a friend that had some bees but the city made him get rid of them, the city has a ordinance on bee keeping(which I think is totally crazy and just stupid).
Hoping to learn a lot from this thread.

 

[flgardengirl]

I've been reading up on beekeeping in Florida. I just read that the plant yellow jessamine is toxic to honeybees. Our woods are full of it. I don't think I could possibly irradicate it for a 3 mile radius lol. I do see honeybees around. Will the bees ignore these plants?

 

[swheat]

Hey,
I found an ad for bee hive kits for sale.-- "includes 2 Deep boxes primed and painted each with 10 wood frames, a Small hive beetle trap bottom board, an inner-cover/feeder, An insulated top, and a Frame holder. All items are brand new. The Boxes are Cypress for ultimate weather resistance. Items are also screwed and glued for superior strength (frames are glued and nailed)."

These are priced at 149.00, would this be a good price for them ?

thanks,

 

[SamG347]

Coming from someone who has tryed topbar hives..foundationless langs..and standard foundation setup langstroths....either go with one or the other. It is all personal choice but I was looking at what was best for my bees, would provide with me easy means to raise queens, was easy to manipulate, and easy honey extraction. I know use langstroth hives with foundation. I use select queens mostly mutts that are hygienic and gentle. I should have queens for sale this spring/summer.
Also if you are looking for equipment check...

Brushy Mountain Bee Supply.

Checkout my website to see if I have any queens up for sale.
Thanks!

 

[HeritageHens]

I can't believe I haven't seen this thread before but I rarely venture out of the chicken area of the forum.

I will go back and read it shortly (subscribing!).

I'm going to be a newbee to the bee keeping adventure this spring. I've been reading a lot about bees and have been appalled at the amount of antibiotics thrown at bees! We've turned them into minature beef cows! Since I do as much organically as possible, I was trying to find techniques aimed at organic/IPM. After signing up for a "regular" class, I stumbled upon a bee keeping class "the other way" in the PNW. Here's info for the class I'll be attending if anyone else is interested:

Friendly Haven Rise Farm
20309 NE 242nd Ave.
Venersborg in southwest WA.
360-687-8384

BEES: The OTHER Way

Saturday January 22 from 10-4... $50
Learn to be a friend to bees. Beekeepers, novices and backyard bee afficionados all welcome.

How to fall in love with honeybees ...

This ever-evolving class has everything I think caring beekeepers ought to know at the beginning of their bee education, especially how to treat bees respectfully. All are welcome! if you've taken the class before you can audit again for $10. Bring any bee clothes you have or dress for being around bees (loose jeans, sweatshirt) Bring a bag lunch (pollen provided!)

* The bee family
* My Swarm-Catching kit -- I'm ready to go on a minute's notice
* How to care for them once they're home
* Mistakes I have made (and hopefully learned from)
* Approaching bees using biodynamic and organic methods
* Purchased queen bees vs. natural true queens
* The effects of the weakened gene pool
* True nutrition for bees
* Tasting different kinds of honeys and pollens (wow!)
* Creating a healthy bee garden in your own backyard
* Natural ways to prevent CCD (no kidding)
* Communicating with bees and developing relationships with hives
* Top bar hives, historic cow dung hives and straw hives
* Rehoming swarms and moving bees from buildings
* Educating the public about alternative bee paradigms

I've had honeybees on the farm for nearly five years. Fascinating. I continue to learn more about the little native bees, too. Did you know we have three HUNDRED native bees in this area?

I have a strong opinion about the causes of CCD and I'll share that with you. By the time you finish this class you'll understand where it comes from, how to prevent it, and what to do to help bees even if you're not a beekeeper. All my hives come from swarms and are feral. I like the mixed gene pool that comes from that.

Taught by Jacqueline, bee stewardess. Tell me you want to attend by sending an email to
[email protected]

 

[JP33]

If you're handy you could build a TBH that accepts removable frames. $149.00 for two deeps, no, no ,no! wayyyyy too over priced. I like cypress and get my woodenware from Rossman apiaries http://www.gabees.com/store/index.php?cPath=37&osCsid=896787707b2e5336c03c7a3d341c1ce5

Hive bodies are not hard to put together, use nails and wood glue though.

A great site for all bee keepers, novice and experienced alike: http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

BTW I keep langs mostly, approximately eighty now in four different yards. They are the easiest to keep for many reasons and easy to transfer to other yards if need be.

I have one TBH and it is a lot of fun if that's what you're after but not nearly any where near as practical as langs are.


...JP

 

[Sumatra503]

I'm not looking for the hives so much as some bees. I'm having trouble with that part.