- Joined
- Jun 15, 2023
- Messages
- 122
- Reaction score
- 203
- Location
- South East Lincolnshire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 1 occupied at present. Plenty unocupied and awaiting tenants.
Hello,
I have just registered here so I thought I ought to introduce myself to you all and let you know a little about me.
Although I have been 'messing about' with bees for around forty years, I don't consider myself a knowledgeable Beekeeper - more of a 'provider and repairer of shelter', a 'provider of winter food' and somebody who gives them a little assistance when times in the hive get difficult.
I started about forty odd years ago with one WBC hive and advice from a wonderful local chap called Albert Lewis. I increased the hives up to eight WBC's over four or five years. I had a busy business so hive inspections were limited to weekends in the spring and summer. We harvested honey and kept the bees fed throughout the winters. All that drifted on for about twenty years and other pastimes came on to the horizon. Slowly, the number of active hives dwindled. We lived in woodland and mice were always a problem despite installing metal mouse-guards. Finally, when I looked inside the last active hive early one spring I found it too had been 'moused' and a whole family of mice were nesting in the middle of what was left of the brood box.
However, a swarm had recently taken up residence behind the weatherboarding at the side of our porch. They were quite happy to see us going in and out and didn't bother us - so we didn't bother them. Of course they swarmed; but very rarely during a weekend when I would be at home. We boxed the occasional swarm and then it was a rush to get a hive checked and set up because if I left foundation in an empty hive for very long, either mice or wax moth - or both would find it and wreck the hive.
We continued, some years with bees in hives and some years it all went wrong, but it was very enjoyable when we had bees to play with. Almost four years ago I sold the business, retired and moved from north Essex into Lincolnshire. It was probably fortunate that we had no active hives to include with the cat and the chickens that came with us. By this time the WBC's were well past their sell-by date and I had bought a few Nationals. The empty Nationals came here with us.
Having now retired I have a little more time to play bees. One National was set up with one Brood and one Super on new frames and foundation. The hive was baited, and we waited. We waited three years before I suddenly noticed activity in late August last year. Probably a Cast from a feral colony. I left them alone for a couple of weeks before having a quick look in the top. They seemed to be busy but the hive felt very light when I hefted it. I fed them sugar syrup and boy did they gobble that up. I lost track of number of bags of sugar that was used. The hive had certainly put on some weight when I hefted it several weeks later. I did a very quick check under the lid one warm day in late October and every frame in the Super was drawn and filled. (I didn't look downstairs.) That took them through the winter with some to spare.
This spring I set up another hive with a Brood and a Super. Two weeks ago some new residents moved in. I let them get settled in and this morning I went and introduced myself. I could see plenty of eggs and already nearly half the foundation has been drawn in the brood box so I didn't bother to spend time looking for the Queen. It was not a large swarm and nobody was upstairs in the super. Since there wasn't a great deal of nectar in the Brood Box, I had a word with the occupants of the first hive and they graciously allowed me to take an almost full shallow frame and place it in the middle of the Super as a gift for the Newcomers in the second hive.
I now have several hives taking shape for this year and I also have the time to build my own.
I think I have been extraordinarily lucky with bees. Without exception they all have been very well mannered and I have hardly ever needed any protection. Today was no exception, even with shaking a crowd of bees of a very full shallow frame that was to be given to the new occupants, nobody got upset at all. After filling the air for a few minutes they all went back into the hive without any complaints.
Oh dear. This has become quite long for an 'Introduction'. I do apologise.
If you've not fallen asleep by now, thank you for reading this far.
Kind regards,
Malcolm.
I have just registered here so I thought I ought to introduce myself to you all and let you know a little about me.
Although I have been 'messing about' with bees for around forty years, I don't consider myself a knowledgeable Beekeeper - more of a 'provider and repairer of shelter', a 'provider of winter food' and somebody who gives them a little assistance when times in the hive get difficult.
I started about forty odd years ago with one WBC hive and advice from a wonderful local chap called Albert Lewis. I increased the hives up to eight WBC's over four or five years. I had a busy business so hive inspections were limited to weekends in the spring and summer. We harvested honey and kept the bees fed throughout the winters. All that drifted on for about twenty years and other pastimes came on to the horizon. Slowly, the number of active hives dwindled. We lived in woodland and mice were always a problem despite installing metal mouse-guards. Finally, when I looked inside the last active hive early one spring I found it too had been 'moused' and a whole family of mice were nesting in the middle of what was left of the brood box.
However, a swarm had recently taken up residence behind the weatherboarding at the side of our porch. They were quite happy to see us going in and out and didn't bother us - so we didn't bother them. Of course they swarmed; but very rarely during a weekend when I would be at home. We boxed the occasional swarm and then it was a rush to get a hive checked and set up because if I left foundation in an empty hive for very long, either mice or wax moth - or both would find it and wreck the hive.
We continued, some years with bees in hives and some years it all went wrong, but it was very enjoyable when we had bees to play with. Almost four years ago I sold the business, retired and moved from north Essex into Lincolnshire. It was probably fortunate that we had no active hives to include with the cat and the chickens that came with us. By this time the WBC's were well past their sell-by date and I had bought a few Nationals. The empty Nationals came here with us.
Having now retired I have a little more time to play bees. One National was set up with one Brood and one Super on new frames and foundation. The hive was baited, and we waited. We waited three years before I suddenly noticed activity in late August last year. Probably a Cast from a feral colony. I left them alone for a couple of weeks before having a quick look in the top. They seemed to be busy but the hive felt very light when I hefted it. I fed them sugar syrup and boy did they gobble that up. I lost track of number of bags of sugar that was used. The hive had certainly put on some weight when I hefted it several weeks later. I did a very quick check under the lid one warm day in late October and every frame in the Super was drawn and filled. (I didn't look downstairs.) That took them through the winter with some to spare.
This spring I set up another hive with a Brood and a Super. Two weeks ago some new residents moved in. I let them get settled in and this morning I went and introduced myself. I could see plenty of eggs and already nearly half the foundation has been drawn in the brood box so I didn't bother to spend time looking for the Queen. It was not a large swarm and nobody was upstairs in the super. Since there wasn't a great deal of nectar in the Brood Box, I had a word with the occupants of the first hive and they graciously allowed me to take an almost full shallow frame and place it in the middle of the Super as a gift for the Newcomers in the second hive.
I now have several hives taking shape for this year and I also have the time to build my own.
I think I have been extraordinarily lucky with bees. Without exception they all have been very well mannered and I have hardly ever needed any protection. Today was no exception, even with shaking a crowd of bees of a very full shallow frame that was to be given to the new occupants, nobody got upset at all. After filling the air for a few minutes they all went back into the hive without any complaints.
Oh dear. This has become quite long for an 'Introduction'. I do apologise.
If you've not fallen asleep by now, thank you for reading this far.
Kind regards,
Malcolm.
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