Bonjour from France. Wise words needed please.

[FleurBleue]

Help everyone.

I have my hive painted and ready, the area of the garden they will be in is organised and prepared and I live on the edge of a good sized village with no other bee keepers and lots of flowers.

So, here's the thing. This will be my first colony and from what I've read, it's been suggested that as a new bee keeper I should actually start with two hives.

What do you think?

 

[Cussword]

With one colony, you will need two hives before the end of the season.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

And with two colonies you will need at least three.

Yes, better to have two colonies, gives you much more flexibility for such matters as swapping frames, or if one has a major problem - lose 1 colony over winter and you go back to being beeless.

That said, if you are just starting out you may think it prudent to make sure you enjoy the hobby before expanding too rapidly.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Are you getting a full colony of bees, a nuc, or are you on a swarm list or what?

 

[OursonAnglaise]

Hello and welcome.

I started last year with one hive & I have still only got one hive. I didn't want more than one initially .

However I did invest in a second hive halfway through the year, partly as I needed more than the one super that it my hive came with, (yes you can get a honey harvest in your first year), and partly to be ready incase of swarming as I had a panic one week where I found a queen cup and I thought they were thinking about departing.....luckily they were just playing and the cup was removed after a week or so.

One of the main things I have learnt is that spare equipment is necessary so that you have choices!

I now have a spare hive which provides me with options if and when required. I am preparing myself to artificially swarm this year should the need arise. My queen will be 2 years old, so I will start to think whether I will go into the end of this year with 2 or 1 colonies.

 

[enrico]

Two hives but......not necessarily two colonies!
E

 

[Millet]

I was told to get two hives also but i got a little carried away, all i need now is one brood box and a super and i will have 4..

 

[REDWOOD]

And before you know it you will be knocking on farmers door and then you have an apiary, and another one 3 miles away for good luck. Then a honey extraction building, a couple of trucks, queen mating apiary, a saw mill and a couple of workers to help out in the summer. When is enough enough.

 

[Fusion_power]

When is enough enough.

I don't know. I've been at this 46 years. It seems to go in cycles.

I would normally recommend starting with 2 colonies. There are lots of options with 2 colonies that do not exist with just 1.

 

[Millet]

And before you know it you will be knocking on farmers door and then you have an apiary, and another one 3 miles away for good luck. Then a honey extraction building, a couple of trucks, queen mating apiary, a saw mill and a couple of workers to help out in the summer. When is enough enough.

My hive is already on farmland near the cottage with plenty of space for more, there's another 2 farmers wanting me to put a hive on pea and bean fields and i also have 2 farms in north Yorkshire where i have access to the heather moors, for some reason though i don't think i will every get them all covered.

 

[FleurBleue]

Okay, my plan is to set up a Rouchette to catch any potential swarm, but I've also, (as a back up plan because I'd be seriously lucky if that idea worked) arranged to buy a nuke, when the time is right.
Here in France we have to be registered and inspected to make sure that the bees are being looked after properly, and can only buy bees from our own area.
Is that then same in The UK?

 

[REDWOOD]

Okay, my plan is to set up a Rouchette to catch any potential swarm, but I've also, (as a back up plan because I'd be seriously lucky if that idea worked) arranged to buy a nuke, when the time is right.
Here in France we have to be registered and inspected to make sure that the bees are being looked after properly, and can only buy bees from our own area.
Is that then same in The UK?

Nop, completely different unfortunately, we can buy bees from most parts of the globe, we don't have to be inspected until there is an outbreak of foul brood and that is only if you volunteered to join bee base or a bee inspector know where you are.

Nucs are a good way to start, you can watch your colony grow with your knowledge and experience. Good luck

 

[FleurBleue]

I tell you what RedWood, I'm going to be driving everyone crackers asking questions. There's so much I want to know and I'm worried that being a novice, I'll do something stupid
and hurt the bees.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Okay, my plan is to set up a Rouchette to catch any potential swarm, but I've also, (as a back up plan because I'd be seriously lucky if that idea worked) arranged to buy a nuke, when the time is right.
Here in France we have to be registered and inspected to make sure that the bees are being looked after properly, and can only buy bees from our own area.
Is that then same in The UK?

The reason I asked is because you cannot "take a nuc" right away in that case, but have to wait as it builds. But it means you need only one hive for now. Then next spring you can use the nuc box (try and keep it) for increase and swarm control. Then you will be at 2 colonies; MUCH safer and will need during year 2 to think about a second hive; KEEP the nuc. Then at the end of year 2 with any luck you can maybe overwinter 2 colonies and a nuc, which is a great place to be. Should give a moderate crop in year 2 (just a jar for you this year, if you are lucky) and a real crop in year 3, forage etc permitting.


ADD OR one colony and a nuc is a stable situation but you'll need the extra hive and will need to take brood frames from the nuc during spring buildup.

Bonne chance

 

[REDWOOD]

Often human intervention will kill bees and now humans are on the bee inspectors list of bee pests.
Ask as many questions as you like, have you had any training yet or got your hands on live bees.

 

[FleurBleue]

No training, just books, YouTube and asking a long suffering friend. I've had my hands on his bees and have arranged to be around when he does any opening up of his hives. He lives away from me though and I recognise that I could be doing more harm than good if I'm not careful.
I'm a bit marooned here though, I don't know anyone else who's remotely interested in bees.
I'm so chuffed that I found you all.

 

[masterBK]

Millet: Honey bees do not work peas (the flower has a closed corola so no access to nectaries or pollen).

 

[eddyh]

hello fleurbleue,
i have kept bees here in france for the last 4 years,and am registered to keep bees.but can get my bees from wherever i want,and the only time you get inspected is if you have a suspected disease or your bees have beecome a nuisance.I would try to get two hives incase you lose one in the winter."bon chance".

 

[Plenty of honey]

I don't know. I've been at this 46 years. It seems to go in cycles.

I would normally recommend starting with 2 colonies. There are lots of options with 2 colonies that do not exist with just 1.

I agree with Fusion Power. I always recommend this because i like firstly, for new beekeepers not to be disappointed if they loose a colony in the first year and secondly, theres a good chance of them getting a bit of honey.
Although many now say Honey is not an essential part of their beekeeping, I believe it gives you the experience and an appreciation of the whole cycle.

If you want to make bees or your worried about them swarming, what you need more than anything is a 5 or 6 framed nuc box or two!( or three)
Even a largish sized swarm will do just fine in a 6 framed nuc. Dont forget that a swarm is going to be on the decline for the first 21 days, and thats if the queen lays the first day she arrives in a hive from swarming, so basically its at least a month!! This is often overlooked!

Get another nuc box at least, then you can either catch a swarm or make one at the right time!!

Best of luck!! Welcome to the forum!!

 

[pargyle]

I tell you what RedWood, I'm going to be driving everyone crackers asking questions. There's so much I want to know and I'm worried that being a novice, I'll do something stupid
and hurt the bees.

Make or buy a couple of Nuc Boxes ... they are so useful for splits, swarms, shoving in a frame with a queen cell and some emerging brood and a few bees. They are so easy to make, you can overwinter a small colony in them .. solves so many problems for the one hive owner ... because you won't be a one hive owner very long !

Don't worry about hurting the bees .. they are surprisngly adept at surviving in the face of even the most stupid things we do as beekeepers. The only thing I would say is learn to treat your bees gently ... I've seen some really awful stuff on Youtube where people hurl boxes around, smoke them to death and bang the frames and boxes back together.

If there is one thing I learned early on it's the calmer and gentler you are with your bees the easier they will be on you. I rarely use any smoke and move slowly .. sudden movements disturb colonies and a disturbed colony will become defensive. As a hobbyist you are not under time constraints.... if it's not working on a particular day - shut them up and try again another day. No sense in trying to push water up hill.

Learn to find your queen(s) and where she is likely to be and try and avoid squishing her... but remember - you don't HAVE to find the queen ... if there is BIAS it's often all you need to know.

Your bees will sense if you are tense ... I know it's difficult when you begin ... but relax and talk to them, tell them what you are doing. I'm convinced it helps ... if not the bees then certainly the beekeeper ! Good luck .. beekeeping is very addictive be prepared to become obsessive.