Beekeeping in a Built Up Area

[richardbees]

totally endorse what itma just said.

Concentrate on preparing your colony for successful over-wintering with varroa treatment of your choice and feeding. Then have a second empty duplicate hive ready to carry out the "artificial swarm" procedure next year.

 

[madasafish]

Choice of bees is all.. Carnies are a nightmare for home beekeeping due to swarminess.
A quiet industrious non swarmy bee is all.

Carnies are a nogo.

 

[Beauhawk]

Your colony has grown fast but I did not see any mention in the thread that you had added supers along the way to give the bees more space in the hive, not in the garden.

What was the hive configuration when they swarmed?

 

[Mart_got_hives]

I won't be adding a secondary hive as I originally planned. Think its best to hone my skills first and wait until I have more room.
Thanks for everything. No doubt I'll have more questions to come!

I lost a swarm myself last year very impressive but got no complaints luckily. Need to be a bit more proactive with the artificial swarming in the city. If you don't want to double your hives try a vertical AS with a snelgrove board and a second brood box then reunite.

Lot of info about it on the net, here's a good source:
http://www.wbka.com/images/education/a018themanyusesofasnelgroveboard.pdf

 

[djg]

Summerslease,

A concise summary of best urban beekeeping practice. Thank you !

I have kept bees in my garden for four years. The first year they swarmed which was a nightmare for me and the neighbours. I recovered the swarms and pacified the neighbours. After that I took the following measures which have prevented any further swarms.

1. Changed from standard national brood box to 14x12 to give them more room.
2. Stopped panicking at the first sign of queen cells and made sure I had enough equipment to carry out an artificial swarm.
3. Carried out a split or artificial swarm at the first sign of queen cells.
4. Clipped my queens which gives me extra time to AS if I've missed a cell or two.
5. Bred my own queens from my most docile colonies.
6. Followed some of the advice on the forum- there is a vast amount of experience here and some is specifically relevant to my situation.
7. Read everything I could about bee management.

Hope this helps. Oh, and you might want to buddy up with an experienced beekeeper who has been through all this before.

 

[Dishmop]

One hive in a garden.

Doesnt stay one hive for long.
You may not want two, but get the equipment to use to do a split and sell them.
Hopefully stopping swarming and also giving you a bit of income.

 

[Elaine]

One hive in a garden.

Doesnt stay one hive for long.
You may not want two, but get the equipment to use to do a split and sell them.
Hopefully stopping swarming and also giving you a bit of income.

I'm currently trying to get my remaining 7 hives down to the 3 that I originally said was the max.......

 

[cornishcreamtea]

I keep mine in the back garden. I have neighbours on all sides and have always been open. They are interested and as long as you engage people they seem willing an keen to learn. Just inspect regularly and you should be able to control all the swarms! Oh... And give them honey!

I agree. I'm in a Victorian terrace, so narrow garden and hive is at the end. Checked with neighbours before I got the hive, and they were interested and supportive and all been fine - so far! They love the honey, of course. But swarm prevention is even more vital in this situation. I had to split the hive again this year, and had the Old Q nuc closer to the house - 1.5 colonies is too much in this narrow garden, and I was glad when the new Q was laying right and I could get rid of the nuc to another club member. But that was still better than letting them swarm!

 

[Swarm]

Neighbours can appear very understanding, while actually they are moaning amongst themselves and slagging you off.

 

[cornishcreamtea]

Don't judge the behaviour of others by your own! I've lived here for nearly 20 years with the same good neighbours. If they had a problem with the bees, they would tell me, for sure! My hive is also by a tall tree and fence, so the bees fly up and away without bothering anyone.

 

[madasafish]

My neighbours - up to 100 meters away - tell me they recognise my bees from the sign hanging round the bee's neck.

 

[Swarm]

Don't judge the behaviour of others by your own! I've lived here for nearly 20 years with the same good neighbours. If they had a problem with the bees, they would tell me, for sure! My hive is also by a tall tree and fence, so the bees fly up and away without bothering anyone.

I beg your pardon? You don't think people talk?

While neighbours (anyone within a few hundred yards) may outwardly appear to be quite understanding, you are never exactly sure of their real opinions.

No need for your exclamation marks and personal attack.

 

[madasafish]

Must be the heat

 

[Dishmop]

Some people just like to moan... They move out of city into country and complain about smell.

You get bees... "oh ok. Fine" to your face.

They get stung..........it was one of yours..... No it wasnt... When they're in my garden they are mine. When they are in your garden they are yours.

Look around any garden with lots of flowers and what sort of bees do you see? Bumbles.

"Oh.. I'm allergic to bees" Why? because it hurts and you get a lump?
If they are allergic they would be carrying an epi pen. (I'm allergic to neighbours)

A few weeks ago I was in small bit of garden at side of house tipping a swarm into a nuc, with quite a few bees flying about.

A big husky teenager walking past with his girlfriend saw them, "oh ***k, look, bees " and did a runner while his girlfriend ( a neighbour) stopped and looked at them.

Do you get much honey from them? Only a few jars.. I leave the rest for the bees for their health.

Your bees have swarmed into my bush over there...

They're not mine. Mine are all still in my garden, come and have a look, but I know a swarm collector who doesnt charge too much to get rid of them for you.