2009 Plans

[mikeyspikey]

plots and bees

Hi Frisbee, and everyone, I am new to this forum,


Plots and bees go together or they could. I am in the process of building!! a little pen right next to my allotment where I plan to put two WBC's (if my woodworking skills!!! allow) in May 2009. They will be fenced in to keep dogs etc. away from the hives. All the plotholders and the Parish Council very keen to have bees at the site. I have had nothing but 100% encouragement. I am however making sure that I have a very gentle strain of bee which I will be getting from a very experienced beek in our local association.

 

[Widdershins]

Thats a fab idea, Admin!!!
Really useful!

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Mikeyspikey welcome aboard,you allotment guys are pioneers!
A few years ago allotment holders and councils would of laughed at you for asking about hives on allotments but more and more are agreeing,I think in a few years time it will be the exception NOT to see a few hives on an allotment.

It would be interesting to get a list together of councils who now allow beekeepers hives on allotments,I will get on to it over the next couple of days.

 

[Frisbee]

Hi Mikeyspikey and welcome to the forum

You must let us know how you get on - with everything. . . . woodworking plans. . . . gentle bees ( I need some of those). . . . Digging the plot . . . . . . what you grow. . . . . etc

Frisbee

 

[Markbee]

I am looking to have a forum list of Queen breeders for uk and Europe if members want one,it would also be good to have a suppliers list for bees,hives equipment etc.

Maybe something that people could give good and bad comments as feedback without a username?

You could call it Bbay (beebay)

 

[ian]

Hi all

Keeping bees in public places has it's own problems and it will only take one instance to queer the patch for many. Whilst it may look like an ideal partnership it's not always the way.

Learnig to deal with bees that are Q-less, at the end of a flow, being robbed, or just darn right ?$"&*&*()&&= all comes with experience and learning this all in the full gaze of other plot holders could cause problems.

I would always try and find more private areas first.


Regards Ian

 

[VEG]

One thing with allotments is you have to be very carefull that there is no one else about when doing an inspection or anything else that involves opening the hive.

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Ian welcome to the forum.

It would be very interesting to hear from someone who has done a season on an allotment to read how they got on.

 

[Polyanwood]

think that is good advice Ian.. and of course make sure you site them so people don't have to walk across the flight path

 

[trinderinc]

Hi Admin,
Not this time. I wanted some new blood (Buckfast). So bought two Queens in June and collected a BIG swarm first week of July which put me back up to 4 strong colonies. 2008 was, therefore a year of making bees not honey my 2008 "crop" was 10lbs!!. Next year I plan to rear about a dozen if I can so that I have more options open to me.
Regards Mike

 

[mikethebee]

Hi Ya Polyanwood breeding queens in this country is a NONO we just have not got the weather. That?s why most large bee farmers buy abroad ?we buy from Macedonia, Slovenia.? just in case you ask.
All the best mike

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi Ya Polyanwood breeding queens in this country is a NONO we just have not got the weather. That’s why most large bee farmers buy abroad “we buy from Macedonia, Slovenia.” just in case you ask.
All the best mike

Even in the summer for members own use? Even I managed a nice queen in my first season.

 

[Widdershins]

Well, most of my imported queens either died or got killed. After paying a kings ransom for the blasted things, next time I need to re-Q, Im going to source local or at least UK ones!

 

[mikeyspikey]

You just never know because I had 6 queens from Cyprus last year and all are doing very well indeed but on a scale of 1-10 for gentleness 1 being most gentle about 4! So a little way to go on that front.

 

[Brian Bush]

general

Hi all
My plans for 2009 are to expand from 2 hives to 8 or 10. I have pre-purchased 2 more hives from a retiring beekeeper and may buy another one as well.
My hives are based on Greek imported Queens from Bickerstaffes. I work them in conjunction with a frien dwho has 3. Between us we have 3 hives with 2008 imported Greek queens and 2 with home bred pot luck queens.

The Greeks appear to be very good. They produce large brood and work hard even at lower temperatures. They will fly at 12degrees C.

Of the two home grown queens, both half Greek and drones from wherever I would say my hive is a little more feisty. My colleague's are frightening at times and have to be handled with extreme caution. We are considering a Queen replacement with another Bickerstaffes Queen in the Spring.
Please don't all start lecturing me on imported Queens and remember that most of the bees in the UK have imported strains of Italian and goodnesss knows what else in them.
I would appreciate a clue from someone regarding where I can source a pure!!! British queen.

 

[Brian Bush]

I placed a hive on my alloment this year. 100% support from most allotment holders and many thanks from them for the excellent crops gathered in 2008 when compared with 2007. I have 3 offers from other users to grow small patches of Borage and for many years some of us have been growing rows of sunflowers. These were popular this year for pollen.
Unfortunately I lost the hive due to a series of mishaps but will be replacing it in the Spring

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Brian Bush,

I think your going to have a problem obtaining a British queen.

Try contacting the BIBBA they are the body who are really the whizz kids on queen rearing.

http://www.bibba.com/

Wishing you all the best in your endeavours.

Regards;

 

[trinderinc]

Hi Mike,
Breeding queens in the UK/Northern Europe is not a NONO it is just impossible to produce them when everyone wants them ie early spring. I plan to choose my best behaved least swarmy colony, feed them hard in spring and induce them to make swarm queen cells. these cells can then be shared among a number of nucs and should produce laying queens by mid to late summer. They will then be available for emergencies or can be overwintered for spring requeening the following year.
Regards Mike

 

[Hivemaker.]

Make up another 100 or so brood box's for myself,and another 200 nuc box's.Then will start on the Instrumental insemination project as soon as poss when the drones are ready. Get some new sites fenced off.

 

[Finman]

.
You should make a queen station on Falkland Isles. It will resolve all problems.
.
But just now it seems not to be mating weather http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/88889.html

There is one problem however.

10.3896/IBRA.1.47.4.14
Date December 2008

Article Title
Beekeeping in the Falkland Islands (Las Ilas Malvinas)
Author(s) Stephen Palmer

Abstract The Falkland Islands are a group of islands situated in the South Atlantic Ocean. They are mainly covered by grassland grazed by sheep. Attempts to improve the quality of the forage using legumes have been limited by the lack of native pollinating insects in order to ensure adequate seed production. From the 1940s onwards, various attempts to introduce the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) have been made, but have proved unsuccessful due to a shortage of suitable forage plants, the harsh winds experienced and the difficulties of queen mating. More recent introduction of legume forage plants have mainly been of self fertile varieties not requiring insect pollination.

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Seems bad. Shadows of poor maiting follows everywhere.