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Goldbug101

New Bee
Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Location
Norfolk, UK
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
1
Hi all.

Just acquired my first colony - a split from Patrick Laslett of Spixworth.

Brought it home in a nuc box last night. This morning the bees are not amused by the dreary weather and look like staying in most of the day. One tiny head poked out when i had a second look at 6:30 and popped straight back in. We're close to the coast and have been suffering a lot of sea mists in recent weeks, so temperatures are well down and moisture levels are well up - both bad news for bees, I understand.

This evening I aim to move them into a brood box and give them a lavish feed. On my own. Eeek! Hive is sited in the lea of a hedge to shelter it from northerly and easterly winds, which are very brisk and cold here in East Anglia. Tempted by a high-density foam hive as developed in Finland, but reading mixed reports about them in terms of the fit of frames.

I did the beginners' course in beekeeping at Easton College some years ago, but the cost of getting started prevented me from embarking on the venture. The arrival of a swarm in a neighbour's garden last week revived my interest, as well as the fact that he had a brood box decaying in said garden, which he said I could have. The swarm was 35 feet up in a tree, so no chance of knocking it into a box!

I cleaned up the brood box, which hadn't been used for about six years, so was in a bit of a state - and bought new frames and foundation. The box was already more or less under the tree, so I hoped that, by putting out feeders and having refurbed the interior, the swarm would be tempted to move in.

There was lots of activity around the hive, with bees slurping up the syrup and going in and out of the hive. That lasted two days. On the morning of the third day I could see markedly increased activity in the swarm, including a lot of waggle dancing. This increased to a fever pitch and then 'bang', the swarm literally exploded off the tree. Unfortunately it didn't descend to my hive, but headed off over the fields to somewhere new!

A bit of a shame, but my inner beekeeper had been awakened, so I started casting about for some bees. A couple of local keepers I had met and spent some time with at their apiaries didn't have anything, but Patrick did - www.norfolkhoney.co.uk. He splits good colonies regularly and sells them at reasonable prices. I spent an hour or so with him and decided to buy a split, which was six frames in a high density foam nuc box. Brought them home late last night and here we are.

This evening, provided the weather isn't too awful, I will do the transfer. I have positioned the nuc in tandem with the brood box so it will be in the bees' flight and sight line - at least, that's what I was advised.

So much to learn! Just hope I make my mistakes without upsetting or losing my bees. Looking forward to sharing experiences and knowledge with you all.

GB
 
Hey, welcome, so now you are hooked, kiss goodbye to summer holidays and money :)
 
Hey, welcome, so now you are hooked, kiss goodbye to summer holidays and money :)

Ha ha - yes, now I am skint!

Swarm + free hive = minimal outlay.

Colony + hive refurb + tools, bits and pieces = considerable outlay!

Bought eight kilos of sugar to get the feeding started and a one gallon feeder, so some mixing up to do this evening. I am sure the bees will be hungry.

GB
 
welcome

where in north norfolk....lived in dereham for a number of years and used to holiday in sheringham and blakeney...envious

Thanks - between North Walsham and Mundesley, about half a mile from the coast as the crow flies and ten miles as the bee wanders, hence the sea mists and cold winds.
 
Thanks - between North Walsham and Mundesley, about half a mile from the coast as the crow flies and ten miles as the bee wanders, hence the sea mists and cold winds.

Welcome - I moved from East Anglia some while ago, from just the other side of the border - the South Folk. I really wish you well and I really remember so well those sodding sea mists! Seen them clear the beach in minutes flat as they rolled in to the mournful sound of the fog horns...
Don't think I'll move away from here now, it's much nicer:judge:
 
Welcome - I moved from East Anglia some while ago, from just the other side of the border - the South Folk. I really wish you well and I really remember so well those sodding sea mists! Seen them clear the beach in minutes flat as they rolled in to the mournful sound of the fog horns...
Don't think I'll move away from here now, it's much nicer:judge:

I agree with you about Suffolk - much nicer than Norfolk, but here we are stuck!
 

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