agedpof3

[Carol Hartland]

I am hoping that I can start keeping bees on Shetland. It's sometimes very windy abu rarely very cold. Am I asking the impossible?

 

[Otleybee]

What is there for them to forage on? Do you have acres of heather?

Might be difficult if there is no long season of forage for them as heather will see them right in the autumn but if there is nothing else then they will have a hard time.

 

[psafloyd]

I am hoping that I can start keeping bees on Shetland. It's sometimes very windy abu rarely very cold. Am I asking the impossible?

Where are you, Carol?

I was up (twice) last year and met up with Angus Nicol, a beekeeper with apiaries on the outskirts of Lerwick.

You can see a couple of short videos on my YouTube feed:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VKLF8inPTY&sns=em[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEAh1Ig3Bos&sns=em[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFgvgD_kCM&sns=em[/ame]

His bees are very dark, but industrious and he might help you with some bees rather than importing any (and diseases).

 

[Bates]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFgvgD_kCM&sns=em

They're all over the shot there, does he not use smoke?

 

[susbees]

Hi...you could try the SBAi forum: there may be useful contacts on there. But we're happy to talk bees here too

 

[psafloyd]

They're all over the shot there, does he not use smoke?

I know, incredible. He does use some, but not a lot. They were ALL OVER the place, but very subdued. Curious rather than aggressive. It was quite surprising.