honey bees?

[ZuniBee]

enough to build 3 hives. We have 2 packages of bees coming in 2 weeks. We figured it couldn't hurt to have the extra empty hive on hand just in case.

Your empty hive won't be empty long! I started keeping bees a year and a half ago. Started with two packages.....then bought two more. After that I have captured swarms and am now up to 9 hives and am in the process of buying more boxes for additional swarms. Beekeeping is just as addictive as chickens!

Our Bees

My Beekeeping Links

My Beekeeping Videos (its funny to see just how inexperienced I was...try not to laugh too much!

)

Bush Bes Michael Bush has an outstanding website full of information.

Beemaster.com Forum Great beekeeping forum...

ZuniBee.com

I'm the cute one...

 

[MissPrissy]

I was gonna email you, Jay!!! This is the first time ever for bees and with top bar hives. I am still very lost trying to figure it all out. I guess I tend to function at a higher level when i am flying by the seat of my pants!

 

[ZuniBee]

Trial and error will happen for years as you learn. Don't hesitate to email if you have a question. If I don't know I have a network of great folks that do!

This year I captured a swarm (one of my hives swarmed) but I didn't get the queen. The swarm was not on a branch...it was on a shed. The queen kept hiding in a crack and then cold weather set in and I lost her. So, I put a frame of eggs from another hive to see if I could get the bees to grow their own queen. Sure enough, there is a big queen cell. I plan to check them this weekend to see if she hatched..... Oh, and I learned that the bees are VERY wild when they don't have a queen to keep them in line. I always wear my protective gear (ALWAYS) and am glad I do. I must have had 200 bees attacking me even with smoke!

Top Bar Hives all you ever wanted to know on Michael Bush's website.

 

[barnkat]

Quote:
This is what makes me nervous for new beekeepers--mites and disease. It's really important to stay on top of these things. Not to give the impression that bees are naturally full of mites, diseases and problems...but once these things get into your hives it's a real P in the A getting them out, and some things, as said above, can only be "remedied" by burning.

I took care of 8-20 hives for a farm I worked at for four years. When I got there the beekeeper had just left, and I was interested in bees, so...I was the new beekeeper. Not knowing about the signs or symptoms of mites/diseases I had no idea the hives had foulbrood. I just kept doing all the things the books said for basic hive maintenance, then they all died out over the first winter. Got them inspected the next spring and got a foulbrood diagnosis, which means, burn all the hives and start over with new equipment.

The maddening thing is the invisibility of some of the problems...and how easy it is to spread them. All the work you put into to taking care of a hive that was diseased from the start, and all your sweat for nothing!

Starting off right makes all the difference. It may be tempting to buy used equipment, but stay away from it. If you buy a hive second-hand from someone, keep a close eye on it and don't mix frames with your other hives, clean your hive tool before using it on your other hives, etc. Make sure you understand the common problems hives can get and keep an eye out for them, prevent them before they can happen, and you'll do good. Bees don't take a lot of work--they take more *understanding* than they do time or labor!

 

[ZuniBee]

Bees don't take a lot of work--they take more *understanding* than they do time or labor!

Very well said!​

 

[SamG347]

I plan to start up a hive or two next year. I want to use the Topbar style of Hive. And will probably go with Carniolan strain bees. Anyone have problem keeping bees with regards to mowing grass and neighbors?
Thanks!

 

[whatnow?]

I checked into keeping a hive last year and discovered that it was regulated by the state Ag office and would have to be registered, even hobby beekeeping. I was told to get in touch with the local beekeeping club who occasionally need to rehome a hive and, since they are already registered, may by able to temporarily set one up for me. Not exactly what I had in mind, though...

I was happy to see, while working on the coop today, I was getting visits from bees that looked like honey bees, so maybe there's a hive nearby. The hornets and wasps I don't care for so much... started a nest in the coop today while I was working on it!

 

[s6bee]

I can't do anything about having a hive here, would love to try though. I am glad to read all of you that are trying this out. I know the bee population has taken a harsh decline in recent years and will cause much havoc on crops, and such if this pattern continues. Keep them coming, it's nice to see the honey bees again!