cheap bees for a beginner

[taff..]

I've had 2 swarms arrive in my bait boxes over the last couple of weeks and there's simply too many bees in my garden at the moment.

so....

IF you are a noob looking for your first colony you are welcome to one of them, but I stress that this is intended as a cheap starter, first colony for someone not an addition to an 18 colony apiary.

both are on 14x12 frames so the choice is

swarm 1 - arrived 2 weeks ago, covering 5 frames and is lovely and quiet on the comb when I looked at them on friday, already has brood on 3 frames and a fair bit of stores and pollen.

or

swarm 2 - arrived yesterday. the box had 5 frames and the bees covered these frames and were hanging from the crown board in the empty part of the hive so I gave them 5 new frames and foundation last night. they are lively at the moment but I don't know if that is just because they have swarmed or if that is their temperament.

be aware that if you would like swarm 2 you may need to re-queen if they are lively/not very nice.

location is Blakeney Gloucestershire.

and the cost to you, not much, cover the cost of the frames and foundation and maybe a couple of beer tokens (or even a few bottles of ale )

obviously you need to bring a box and we'll transfer the frames over.

 

[taff..]

is there really not a single Noob on here that want very cheap bees to get them going?

 

[mbc]

Try charging £200 and they'll be queuing

 

[beebopalula]

Try charging £200 and they'll be queuing

Yes, but you will have to shake out 60% of the bees first, swap the laying queen for a virgin and put it in a correx box.

 

[taff..]

Try charging £200 and they'll be queuing

do you know what, I was thinking of posting something very very similar and it's exactly what MrsTaff said, however I couldn't sell a swarm dressed up as a nuc it's just not cricket.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

is there really not a single Noob on here that want very cheap bees to get them going?

Perhaps its symptomatic of the huge number of swarms that seem to be going on at the moment.

A really generous offer for somebody local though

 

[beebopalula]

do you know what, I was thinking of posting something very very similar and it's exactly what MrsTaff said, however I couldn't sell a swarm dressed up as a nuc it's just not cricket.

It is an honest and very generous offer and I am surprised you have no takers.
However, people are odd - a neighbour replaced his decking with paving and put it in his front garden by the road, with a sign declaring: 'FREE DECKING- HELP YOURSELF' - Result: nobody wanted it after a week.
He changed the sign to read: 'DECKING FOR SALE £2 EACH PIECE': Result: it was all stolen overnight.

 

[jd101k2000]

I've been studying a bit of marketing recently. It's a phenomenon called 'perceived value'.

If you have two cars for sale and all you tell people is that one is £100 and the other is £10,000. People will want the £10,000 because they will assume that the other one is an old banger.

It's a mad, mad world. Really generous offer, though!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I couldn't sell a swarm dressed up as a nuc it's just not cricket.

Neither is tennis

 

[Marco825]

very genuine offer, how far are you from Leeds???
I presumme it is far, far...

 

[beeno]

There simply is no room at the inns of existing beeks and not enough new entrants!

 

[rolande]

location is Blakeney Gloucestershire.

is there really not a single Noob on here that want very cheap bees to get them going?

Maybe it's simply that people have heard about them 'Foresters' ...

 

[Russel]

Aren't the Dean "boys" on your doorstep, don't they have anyone looking for bees?

 

[alldigging]

very genuine offer, how far are you from Leeds???
I presumme it is far, far...

Way too far!
Can you not get any nearer you?

 

[taff..]

Aren't the Dean "boys" on your doorstep, don't they have anyone looking for bees?

I have spoken to them as well.

 

[Russel]

I have spoken to them as well.

We have some members in Chepstow area will mention to them!

 

[troy1]

Hi from Bristol, we are totally new to beekeeping, have just done a course and have a standard national hive, just waiting for bee suits and other bits we have ordered to arrive then we were going to start looking for bees, which are going to be kept in our garden so I guess docile bees are what we are after, very interested in offer would this be a good way forward for us, what do people think?

 

[oliver90owner]

Believe what taff has posted. A clear, honest offer.

 

[Russel]

Taff PM'd Russ

 

[troy1]

Sorry Taff can't pm ,only second post.