40 years + and still a newbee

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Joined
Apr 15, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
8
Location
Cumbria
Hive Type
None
Bee keeping 40years + and still a newbie.

Changing email address, forgotten user names and passwords mean I have re joined after decades and this is my first post. Impressed with new look site and the quantity and quality of the post.

I have 40+ years to develop bad habits and welcome the new

*First hive was discovered neglected near a stream under trees full of black bees in a school grounds.

With an older ex beekeeper as mentor we refurbished and maintained the bees and put an observation hive in the school with exit/entrance through a wall.

*Later moved hive to my village and made contact with a lady and a vicar who shared a hive. Locals advised that when they inspected their hive everyone ran for cover because the bees could detect the alcohol evaporating from the vicar,

*Joined local club- low on bureaucracy “just turn up” different house each meet -sit at the feet of ancients and eat cream teas. Learnt a lot- eventually had my own meet-cream tea was a challenge. I was the youngest (much hair, off-comer etc) and inspected with the bees. I am very grateful to these people who wanted to encourage young people to beekeeping.

*Eventually I felt the cream teas became the focus not the bees and I moved on. Cakes seem to be still important in bee circles I find.

*The first hive was WBC and I saved and got another my “commander in chief” felt that Nationals were just a box-but I moved on eventually putting in a National with a WBC look.

*I don`t sell honey but used it to ease interactions both socially and professionally. Honey has a peculiar resonance with people and if you are giving away sunshine, they appreciate it. Some business meetings went very well.

*Swarms were very common and I was called to collect- memorable ones include one on the bottom of a deckchair with the resident locked swearing the garden shed-another right around a tree that required a sheet and some invention. I did use a straw skep. Swarms are rare now though I did get one in April in Barnard Castle -lockdown just on - and naturally my eyesight proved OK.

*Now-at my age - eyesight and spectacles are essential- eggs are hard to see and never inspect a hive if you have just got a Hearing Aid.

*Cows can knock over hives if they invade and resultant havoc is a sight and sound event.

*The number of hives has varied adapting to family, work and time -yet bees can come to define you and like rock climbing and diving they give you a time flow that is therapeutic and hard to explain. Don`t worry -the bees don`t -they just get on with it.

*The science is important in understanding and some of the experiments on behaviour and biochemistry well worth following. I have been to courses and would commend them yet when it was suggested that I take examinations I grumpily declined having spent much of my time racing for qualifications- I felt the need to learn but not the need for a bit of paper.

*The internet is awash with advice and debate and some of the U-tube videos informative and often entertaining. The contrast between commercial and domestic beekeeping is notable and we can learn from both. In some quarters I notice competition and sometimes patronising comment and point scoring. In others sound advice and strange as it may seem electronic goodwill oozing in posts.

I avoid those that are vexations to the spirit

*In Africa and elsewhere I have seen hives in cut off barrels and an array of boxes and containers both keepers and bees seemed happy and productive. I just want to have bees at the bottom of the garden and wonder at the buzz and honey bonus.

*I have almost completely moved to poly hives now and next year will complete the replacement of all old comb and will perhaps try to rear Queens as opposed to just selecting, splitting and collecting swarms.

Thanks for all the advice and I will continue to lurk about reading-I might just do another post in another 40 years ?
 

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