Thanks everyone!!
Hi EssexGary
I have a fully occupied beehaus, and they over wintered very well compared to my other hives.
I do not envisage that I will be using it as 2 hives, but there are ways to do an artificial swarm and then unite back to one good strong hive.
Ask away with the questions
Hi everyone! what a lovely warm welcome, thanks. Just a couple of responses:
I went for the (purple) beehaus - a couple of my friends have the chicken houses and they love them; plus they look funky. I can't say there's much depth to my decision making, except its new, modern and as a new keeper, figured I would do my bit to push the hobby forward a bit and support innovation and as I haven't ever had any other type of hive I probably wont notice any differences. Plus I love purple (yes, I have hidden shallows)
Jim, I might ask your advice on swarming and uniting in the future - I'm guessing that the size of the beehaus means the colony are less likely to swarm as there's so much space right?
The course is in Bedfordshire - run by Steve Kennedy and a couple of his beekeeping chums from Beds Beekeeping Assoc. it's 4 days over 4 weeks, really practical so far - based on experiencing rather than classroom. Out of 6 people on the course, I am the only one who sourced the course via Omlet.
And one last question. I am in love with my bees and I haven't even got them yet... (is that weird?) anyway - do you love your bees
less after the first sting....?
G