2 apiaries better than 1??

[the naked beekeeper]

Hi all,

I operate about 6 overwintering colonies.

In Summer that can rise to 12ish.

At the moment, I rather inefficiently have hives all over the place, for one reason or another. I wish to make my beekeeping more efficient, both in time and practicality.

I could quite easily operate a single apiary with those numbers.

My question is, do forumers think it worthwhile, to have a second apiary, where swarms could be housed to assess and to place any riff raff I may have?

Do the disease considerations of collecting swarms make it worth the extra effort and time of running a second apiary?

 

[gavin]

My question is, do forumers think it worthwhile, to have a second apiary, where swarms could be housed to assess and to place any riff raff I may have?

Do the disease considerations of collecting swarms make it worth the extra effort and time of running a second apiary?

Yes, and probably yes. Plus that second apiary will spread your risk of a failure of a honey crop locally, and give you somewhere to take splits if you wish to reduce the drift back to the parent hive.

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Ah, true.
Hadn't thought of that.

Thank you.

 

[Finman]

.
A good yield comes from pastures. Pastures are very different and 2-3 fold yields are very usual between apiaries. Even 5-fold is possible.

The only way to find out, how good are you apiaries is to compare them.
You will be surprised.

And the yield capacity of apiaries do not stay as same. Every year vegetation is different and it reacts different way to weather.

 

[Poly Hive]

I would prefer to have two for the same reasons, moving hives and parking swarms.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

TNB.... Thieves woul never find all half dozen
+ if you want somewhere well over 3 miles away give me a PM !!!

 

[Queens59]

Also, if you collect strange swarms you could use one site for quarantine...

 

[oliver90owner]

2 apiaries better than 1??

Always (even if it is not in use).

 

[the naked beekeeper]

And so it is.

The veterans have spoken! lol.

 

[luckydunny]

Wow!!

A post where agreement is universal.

 

[RoofTops]

Two apiaries also gives you the possibility of using them for mating queens to reduce the risks of in-breeding. Ideally you would want to raise queens in both apiaries and mate each of them in the other apiary. Then move the mated queens back to their original apiary for production. However, you probably also need a 3rd apiary - the "naughty apiary", where you can move colonies from which you don't want drones issuing to mess up your programme - or of course just cull them.

 

[For want of a better word]

However, you probably also need a 3rd apiary - the "naughty apiary", where you can move colonies from which you don't want drones issuing to mess up your programme



7 to 8 miles away?

 

[luckydunny]

I knew it, someone would say three and I so nearly posted to the effect but was blinded by level of concurrence for 2 better than 1.....

I take it all back, (except the bees, hives, wood, equipment, clothing and sundry before she finds out...)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

got four apiaries lined up from 2 to six miles away, and a possibility of another 8 miles away - all i need now is the bees to fill them! But at least i've got variable options

 

[iand]

2 apiaries better than 1??

Always (even if it is not in use).

ditto

 

[susbees]

got four apiaries lined up from 2 to six miles away, and a possibility of another 8 miles away - all i need now is the bees to fill them! But at least i've got variable options

Hope you've got a strong bicycle....anyone dared work out how the price of fuel is eating in to their "profits" from beekeeping?

 

[For want of a better word]

Hope you've got a strong bicycle....anyone dared work out how the price of fuel is eating in to their "profits" from beekeeping?

Hence MY use of a BATBIKE !!!!!

Battery charged from renewable energy source of course!

​

 

[winmag270]

anyone dared work out how the price of fuel is eating in to their "profits" from beekeeping?

getting out for the afternoon, for some peace and quiet with my bees, priceless!!

 

[winmag270]

I've got 4 apiaries with the option on a 5th, should i wish to take it....

you never know whats going to happen.....