bees on the beeb

[tonybloke]

carol klein + bees
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00dczts

 

[Silly Bee]

carol klein + bees
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00dczts

Excelllent Tony

 

[Brosville]

I've watched the first two programmes in the series and they've been excellent - always inspiring to have a real enthusiast on a subject sharing their knowledge

The whole programme airs at 8.30 tomorrow evening (Friday 21st Jan at 8.30 on BBC2)

 

[Foxylad]

I am always interested in all forms of beekeeping but by calling it natural is that not in some way describing how the rest of us keep bees in some way unnatural?

As the only difference i can see is they draw there own comb, and do not produce honey.

If i was to take out all the foundation would this be "natural" beekeeping?

Is this not snobbery in the beekeeping?

 

[johnandyrob]

Thanks for that Tony

 

[Brosville]

Knowing full well that no beekeeping can by definition be totally "natural", it should probably be more correctly known as "more natural beekeeping"

Your "As the only difference i can see is they draw there own comb, and do not produce honey." is not by any means a complete or correct description (neither is the "snobbery" accusation).....

I use both Kenyan and Warre hives, and the differences between the two types of beekeeping are many - in brief - we allow the bees to build whatever foundation they choose, we don't restrict the queen in any way, many of us don't try to inhibit swarming at all, I won't use any synthetic chemicals, tend not to feed, but leave them their own stores to survive winter instead - I certainly wouldn't dream of marking or clipping my queens, neither would I replace them as a matter of course......... or practice drone brood culling.... I don't use smoke, nor do I subject them to intrusive invasions of their hives every few days as I am keen to preserve the "nestduftwärmebindung"........... so there are quite a few differences - honey is not the top of my priorities, but I do harvest sufficient for my needs, and it is utterly glorious!

As for "snobbery" - that works both ways! I have chosen the way I am happy and comfortable keeping bees, it works for me, and many others - I have experienced at times the most incredible bias against "natural beekeeping" from some beekeepers, and am frankly at a loss to understand why.........

 

[johnandyrob]

I cant answer that it is not the way I keep my bees ( not that I really consider them my property as such) is all I can Say but it is very interesting. Do you use any varoa treatments Regards Andrew

 

[Pookiesbees]

Just watched this lovely and fascinating clip. Still in my first year of beekeeping and using a National so have no experience of a Top Bar hive. Is no honey collected, are varroa treatments used, what do beeks do with potential swarms? Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[Silly Bee]

Honey is collected, just hold the comb over a bucket or something, and just slice it off.

 

[Brosville]

As in my post above, although honey is not usually the top priority with Kenyan top bar hive users, they still produce the stuff - I leave my bees their own honey for overwintering, rather than nicking all the honey and replacing it with sugar syrup which obviously cuts yields. It is ludicrously simple to harvest - when you've determined they can spare it, you take a top bar or two out with the honey-laden comb attached, and I use a variation on the simple "crush and strain" method - cut the comb to smithereens in a bowl with a sharp knife, then tip it into a sieve over a large container on a sunny windowsill, and allow to drip for a day or three......
You can do all of the inspections, and swarm prevention tactics, splits, artificial swarms etc that is possible with other hives -but I live miles from nowhere and have sane and sympathetic neighbours so take the attitude of "whoopee a swarm! - another colony and a new queen!".
As for "treatments", some would say that the whole method of "more natural beekeeping" is a preventative in itself, most people with TBHs use things like powdered sugar - some use plant oils or thymol.

 

[oliver90owner]

Pookiesbees,

no honey collected

I gave my 'ball park' honey crop estimate on this thread:

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8474&page=3

I reckon my estimate (post #2) may not even encompass the average TBH (as per my post #23), but, thus far, there are no takers to offer their real-time experiences. You may want to keep an eye on said thread as someone may yet post on that.

are varroa treatments used

Most will, or most of those that don't will find most of their colonies eventually succumb. Many might deny they 'treat' but might admit to 'sanitising the hive'. So watch the 'wordology' is my advice on that one.

potential swarms

Lose a lot that convert to 'actual', and some will miss a lot due to fewer inspections, for sure. The rest will artificially swarm, like the rest of us (frame hive users), in one way or another.

So, similar answer to Brosville, I suppose.

Regards, RAB

 

[Rosti]

It's touched on in several posts here, including Brosvilles last.

I dont think the hive type has as much to do with 'natural' beekeeping as the values and approach shown by the Beek themselves - for want of a better description the degree of 'pressure' placed on the bees to yield a crop and hence the intensity of intervention and treatment to keep them at peek performance rather than peek health (not always discrete/polar objectives either)

As a separate point.

I am also certain in my own mind that a 'what will bee, will bee' approach can also be detrimental to the overall health of the bees in someones care and that a productive healthy 'managed' hive is always better than a lazy keeper hiding behind a non-interventionist moral smoke screen. R

I know peek is spelt wrong but the correct spelling gets asterix'd out for some reason?

 

[Brosville]

" a productive healthy 'managed' hive is always better than a lazy keeper hiding behind a non-interventionist moral smoke screen"........ herrrumph!

It all depends what you mean by "productive" and "hiding" - I choose a very low-tech, non-interventionist (wherever possible) style of "management", mostly so as not to disturb the precious "essential nest heat and atmosphere" - I don't personally seek to subvert their normal and natural wish to swarm, so there is no need for ripping the whole hive apart every few days - and with a TBH you can do very simple "have a peek" inspections without losing all the "nestuftwarmebindung" - some may view that as "lazy", I view it as part of the "more natural" way of keeping bees - as has been rightly observed, if you want maximum honey yields, then you're probably better off with a framed hive.
It is a different way of keeping bees to that which has been practised for many years, but it doesn't make it "lazy" or any other of the many rude comments passed about it!

I agree that a framed hive can also be managed on "more natural" lines

 

[keithgrimes]

what a great clip. thise BBC camera bods are good.

 

[Silly Bee]

The camera crew don't get enough recognition IMO.

 

[Firegazer]

Last year I tried a double brood, with foundation in frames at the top, but frames with just starter strips in the bottom box.

This was fun. The bees filled out the top frames quickly and all was easy to inspect. Once they started running out of space there, they started building down into the open frames, starting on the strips and building out into the frames. Lovely white comb. A bit fragile to start with and not as straight as the top ones but all their own work

As the bottom frames got thicker and full of stores, things started get harder to move about but not impossible. Lots of drone comb was made here and there - it might have been better to get them started on a drone brood area within foundationed frames before going completely free-style, not sure.

I'd recommend it as something to try out. I'll probably do the same again this year, but the other way around: move the freestyle frames to the top box and have foundation (or maybe half foundation) in the bottom. That way, there won't be any wires in the 3 or 4 honey frames I nick to crush and strain for pressies.

FG

 

[Poly Hive]

Having filmed with the BBC I can safely tell you they are complete wimps and demand miles of gaffer tape, (duct tape) before getting anywhere near bees. Elf and Afety is seriously rife in that department.

Oh yes and the watch word is always... "Again please"

PH

 

[SER]

A friend who works for one of the BBC regions once told me how many rolls of gaffer tape they get through a month, I can't remember the figure but it was mind-blowing! I don't know what they do with it!

 

[Poly Hive]

I do...... lol

PH

 

[beeboybee]

well we do like a nice roll of gaffa tape! i have a tool box full................