Who keeps bees on BYC?

[sgtmom52]

The bees use the mud to build cells in the tubes for their young. They use it like cement ~ therefore the name "mason" bees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason_bee

 

[SunnyDawn]

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That makes complete sense. Thanks!

 

[JP33]

I keep bees and remove them and relocate them to my yards and many others.

...JP

 

[SunnyDawn]

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That is a cool pic! I'll be covered from head to toe in a bee keeper's suit though when I start keeping honey bees. Though I've only been stung twice in my life (when I was a kid). Even when other folks around me are getting stung they seem to leave me alone. Not sure why.

 

[Estrie]

My husband and I are both allergic, but there is a "bee tree" on our property, fairly close to the house. We are trying to decide what to do about it, if anything. My dad used to rob the hive regularly, he has hide like an elephant.

 

[SamG347]

I keep Northern and will be working some some Souther genetic queens. All of which are what is considered "Survivor stock" which are might resistant, hygenic, gentle, and usually decent honey producers. I will be expanding this spring and will be raising queens/nucs for sale next year. I assumed you were talking about "Feral" honey bees as this is really the only bee humans "keep" or manage. Mason bees can be kept but I don't really consider some straws/houses hanging in a tree much effort as far as keeping. Managing several honey bee hives is way more intensive.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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No, You are right, I wanted to know about honeybees mostly. I do plan on keeping mason bees somewhere on the property as well for early spring pollination and wondered if they co-exist easily. No, all the knowledge I need to keep mason bees by themselves is included in the packet they come with. I love the idea of keeping honey bees when I get a larger parcel of land because 1) I'm an avid gardener and it makes me heartsick to think of honeybees dying out and 2) because I love, love, love honey.
One of the books I read talked at length about the different types of honey and stated that alfalfa honey has the best taste by far. What are some of the crops you live by and how does that affect the taste of your honey? My gardens are varied so I wouldn't be able to have bees that feed on only one type of pollen but I'm curious what experiences you all have had in this area.

 

[SamG347]

Corn, Dandelion, Alfalfa, Wild mustard, Cherry, Maple, Oak, Black Walnut, Ash, Sunflower, Raspberry, Blackberry, Pumpkin, etc are all things my bees collect honey from. And one of the SMELLIEST is GOLDEN ROD....it will smell like your hive is a highschool gym class of like 80 people in one locker room....weeeeewwwww.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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OK! I won't plant any golden rod then! So you are happy with the flavor of the honey you get from your bees? Most of the plants/trees you mentioned are things I would be likely to have in my garden once I move. The one type of honey I had that I really disliked was "meadow foam" honey. The flavor was way too strong for me especially since I bake with honey a lot.

 

[Beekissed]

I will be starting with bees this spring. I will be building my own top bar hives and hope to collect local swarms to start up. If not, I will try to get a nuc from a local beek.

I intend to subscribe to the Barefoot Beekeeper type of beekeeping...no use of chemicals and the least intervention possible. I hope to develop some hardy bees over the years by using these methods.