Eeek! We have a date of arrival! Also have a question...

[Robbo8916]

Well I am rather excited now!

After 5+ years of researching and preparing I finally have a date for the delivery of my first bees! They shall be arriving, all being well, on 5th May!

I think I have everything ready and am sure I have a lot of equipment I will probably never use!

I am going down to my site to stare at the ground and pretend I know what I am doing making sure the spot is ready.

Thanks to hedgehog66 for your invaluable help in looking after the girls for me and for picking my hive up and transferring my nuc into it. And thanks in advance for delivering them too.

Now I do have a quick question. The garden that I am putting them in isn't a permanent area and the girls will eventually be moved to the solar farm when they actually get round to building it.

So the space really isn't big enough for more than one hive. So with it being an overwintered nuc I know they will (already are) build up pretty quickly weather etc perrmitting.

My question is would double brood work effectively for this year? As a swarm control method I mean?

I do have an option to put a hive somewhere else if needs be but ideally I would like to stick to the one colony this year and then split, possibly make a nuc up eitherr at the end of the season or next year.

Sorry for waffling I am rather excited!

 

[B+.]

My question is would double brood work effectively for this year? As a swarm control method I mean?

Whatever plans you make, the bees often have their own ideas. So, plan to make more plans as you go along ;-)
I would say, a double brood may be adequate for a good queen in her prime, but, it (giving space) is not a swarm control method in itself. Inspect them every 7-9 days if you can and be ready to make a split if you do see queen cells. If she is a young queen, it may not happen until next year but it is good to be prepared.
As for buying equipment you'll probably never use - we all do it. But, strangely, most of it does find a use eventually. Even if it wasn't for the purpose it was intended.
Good luck with your bees

 

[BrianO]

Good On Ya.

If you do not want to / cannot expand. Yes, double brood. One thing I have learnt... at my own expense... is you have to be ahead of them in terms of their development.

As more proactive instead of reactive, so that means giving them space when they are going to need it, this will help quell the urge to swarm. Though of course it is not as simple as that as it is their natural instinct and some strains are just more intent on swarming than others.

yes, so DB a good idea if they are strong, would do so dummying down the exra excessive space at first and seeing how they go. Though first and foremost make sure they are going to fill the original brood box. Not all will need DB. Again... Weather .. Who Knows ? Local Forage abundance ? ... other hives locally , many ... ? Lots of factors.

Regardless, most importantly... ENJOY !!!! its a fascinating craft ... for those who are in it for more than the Honey

The thrill of lifting off Full Supers, seeing your colonies thriving .. Stacking your newly labelled jars..... Money could not buy it !

 

[Robbo8916]

Good On Ya.

If you do not want to / cannot expand. Yes, double brood. One thing I have learnt... at my own expense... is you have to be ahead of them in terms of their development.

As more proactive instead of reactive, so that means giving them space when they are going to need it, this will help quell the urge to swarm. Though of course it is not as simple as that as it is their natural instinct and some strains are just more intent on swarming than others.

yes, so DB a good idea if they are strong, would do so dummying down the exra excessive space at first and seeing how they go. Though first and foremost make sure they are going to fill the original brood box. Not all will need DB. Again... Weather .. Who Knows ? Local Forage abundance ? ... other hives locally , many ... ? Lots of factors.

Regardless, most importantly... ENJOY !!!! its a fascinating craft ... for those who are in it for more than the Honey

The thrill of lifting off Full Supers, seeing your colonies thriving .. Stacking your newly labelled jars..... Money could not buy it !

Thanks, I am really excited. We are very lucky that in this area Himalayan Balsam is literally everywhere. They are going into an established garden with fruit trees and literally hundreds of different plants/fruits etc. The lady who own the house started the garden with the intention of keeping bees herself so it is an absolute haven.

There are acres of balsam all over town, and a massive mature woodland opposite with willow and loads of other trees.

Im looking forwars to the solar farm site as I have been given exclusive rights to put hives on it, I must talk the talk well!!!

There are a couple of local keepers I know of, one literally across the road with 5 hives.

I could potentially split but the hives would be quite close together, although I have seen methods of achieving this anyway.

She is a queen from last year who was put into a nuc to overwinter. They are building up really well.

Its the nerves kicking in now I think...

 

[wessexmario]

I think I have everything ready and am sure I have a lot of equipment I will probably never use!

Noooo! Beekeepers can never have too much equipment, and it's always good to have extra just in case.

 

[Robbo8916]

Noooo! Beekeepers can never have too much equipment, and it's always good to have extra just in case.

I have just been and spent an hour talking to the lady who's garden they are going into. She has offered me use of one of her three sheds to keep all my extra bits and bobs in too.

We actually spent most of the time watching and talking about Bumble Bees as she has a nest in the opposite corner of the garden to where my hive is going.

Looking at it again and after discussing with her it would easily be possible to split and have more than one hive. She actually said she wouldn't mind if the whole top area was full of hives lol.

The hive is going next to (not under) the big tree in the back left corner. You won't even be able to see it from the road unless I have a massive honey flow and need loads of supers.

She is researching more flowers to plant for the bees. Its like bee paradise with two small ponds with big rocks in to drink from.

 

[misterbee82]

Enjoy them their foraging can be extremely interesting if you have the seasonal pollen charts to get a basic idea of what their carrying. Also I have been already filming the hive in the side of my mom's house since April 2nd. Their fascinating.

 

[BeeJuice]

After 5+ years of researching and preparing /QUOTE]

That's being patient. Is it five years since the thought of keeping bees first crossed your mind or have you really been preparing for that long? I wouldn't advocate rushing into beekeeping but this seems like the other extreme!

Good luck with it

 

[Robbo8916]

After 5+ years of researching and preparing /QUOTE]

That's being patient. Is it five years since the thought of keeping bees first crossed your mind or have you really been preparing for that long? I wouldn't advocate rushing into beekeeping but this seems like the other extreme!

Good luck with it

I was ready to jump in, did a course at a local apiary, cleared space etc.

Sadly, and it is always the case for me, life had other plans. And it has not been possible until now to actually get stuck in for myself.

I'm not a lucky person, something always goes wrong but this time I am determined and it would appear I am there.........

*hides from life*

 

[BeeJuice]

I was ready to jump in, did a course at a local apiary, cleared space etc.

Sadly, and it is always the case for me, life had other plans. And it has not been possible until now to actually get stuck in for myself.

I'm not a lucky person, something always goes wrong but this time I am determined and it would appear I am there.........

*hides from life*

Fair enough, I'm sure it will be worth the wait...

 

[snelgrove]

I was ready to jump in, did a course at a local apiary, cleared space etc.

Sadly, and it is always the case for me, life had other plans. And it has not been possible until now to actually get stuck in for myself.

I'm not a lucky person, something always goes wrong but this time I am determined and it would appear I am there.........

*hides from life*

Once you get your bees then you really start learning . Learn from your mistakes don't make the same mistake twice. Goodluck and enjoy

 

[Robbo8916]

Once you get your bees then you really start learning . Learn from your mistakes don't make the same mistake twice. Goodluck and enjoy

Thanks. I do feel like I know quite a lot theoretically. I have had a fair bit of hands on experience over the years, I am a bit of a gob***** so I have talked my way into the lives and hives of many over the years.

You can't make the same mistake twice. First time it is a mistake, second time it is a choice. (mum told me that and I live by it)

I am hoping to be helping out with a cutout in the not too distant future in a bay window just up the road.

Its all go!

 

[misterbee82]

Well at least you'll be able to be involved with the bee keeping now, and as Bee Juice said perhaps the wait was worth it. You'll be able to start your own hive and enjoy watching them. Monitoring them isn't overly taxing either as they don't need to be watched around the clock.

 

[beeno]

Hi Robbo,
Sounds absolutely perfect. I would like to have a lady planting for my bees! Enjoy.

 

[misterbee82]

Get yourself some lavender and lilac and your bees will be going crazy for it. At my last residence I had two bushes of it and I had bumble bees and honey bees feeding from it.

 

[Robbo8916]

Get yourself some lavender and lilac and your bees will be going crazy for it. At my last residence I had two bushes of it and I had bumble bees and honey bees feeding from it.

There is a lot of lavender in the garden already, also have some in my own. She said she is going to get some lilac too!

I'm going to have some very spoiled bees