Hello from NI

[Bill_J]

Hello folks, New member here. Total newbie when it comes to beekeeping. Almost finished my local association's Beginners Beekeeping Course. Found it really interesting although I'm fully aware that, in the grand scheme of things, it's probably very basic stuff and there's a mountain of further information I need to get to grips with yet.

I've ordered, received and set up my hive (after much deliberation, went for National, Cedar, flat roof with 14 x 12 brood box): whether that's the right decision remains to be seen. Spent a small fortune on frames, foundation, suit and kit. Just need to get 6 numbers up in the lotto, or sell a kidney, before the wife works out how much that lot adds up to!

The next stage is trying to source the bees. I've taken advice from our course tutor and will be aiming for native Irish black bees. Might be just me but there seems to be a lack of beekeepers willing to sell a Nuc within a reasonable distance from me (but over 3 miles away obviously). Maybe I'm a bit early yet? Will keep looking though. Best of luck folks, Bill

 

[madasafish]

 

[Bill_J]

Thank you. Looking at your quote re:beekeeping, I'll fit in well.

 

[madasafish]

Thank you. Looking at your quote re:beekeeping, I'll fit in well.

It sums up my own beekeeping experiences

 

[jfullerton]

Welcome to the forum

Usually the course tutors can source nucs....what have they said on the subject.?

 

[Bill_J]

Welcome to the forum

Usually the course tutors can source nucs....what have they said on the subject.?

To be fair to the tutor he did say he would try and get nucs for us but wasn't confident he could source enough (there's over 20 on the course).

 

[Swarm]

Welcome Bill and good for you regarding native bees. You won't see early nucs unless headed by over wintered queens so in the mean time get some practical hands on experience at your association apiary or with a mentor.

 

[JazzJPH]

Hi Bill and welcome!

You'll get plenty of help here it's great!

 

[Lancs Lad]

Bill try http://www.coolmorebees.com/

 

[Angry_Mob]

Welcome.

Cork is possibly a 8-10 hour round trip depending where Bill is from.

I see there's adverts on gumtree and donedeal for nucs of bees in Fermanagh and Antrim. It would be advisable to take someone with experience with you if you can.

It might be worth trying to capture a swarm as well. If you think you've spent lots now wait till you hear the advice that its easier to keep two hives rather than one.

 

[deemann1]

Coolmore would be sold out by now , be careful with done deal there are horror stories from people who bought nucs off there of a certain few gentlemen who advertise there yearly

 

[Ian123]

hi and welcome.....if your sitting around waiting for bees and have an empty hive go set your single brood box up as a bait hive...Good luck Ian

 

[Bill_J]

Thanks folks for the kind welcome and good advice. Great idea about the bait box....nothing to lose trying that whilst I wait on getting bees.

Plenty of nucs advertised on DoneDeal (Ireland's equivalent of Gumtree) but it's a minefield trying to select a reputable seller with so little info to go on. For example, I phoned one seller who told me 'yes, nucs ready to go'.....but when I told him I'd be using a deep brood box with 14 x 12 frames, he said he'd 'never heard of 14 x 12 frames' and was unsure how I'd transfer from standard size. That obviously set alarm bells off, so I'll be looking elsewhere. The search goes on.

 

[Angry_Mob]

In my association I think I'm the only one who actually uses 14x12 so it's fairly uncommon. Thankfully it's easy to put a national nuc in a 14x12 hive as it goes straight in alongside new foundation frames, the bees will draw the comb down most likely drone cells at this time. Later in the season you can slowly move the frames to the outside and then replace with the 14x12 frames.

 

[Bill_J]

In my association I think I'm the only one who actually uses 14x12 so it's fairly uncommon. Thankfully it's easy to put a national nuc in a 14x12 hive as it goes straight in alongside new foundation frames, the bees will draw the comb down most likely drone cells at this time. Later in the season you can slowly move the frames to the outside and then replace with the 14x12 frames.

Thanks for the reassurance that it can be done...much appreciated. Can I just asked a couple of questions? 1. When inspecting the hive do you just cut off the brace comb that the bees make filling the 3 inch gaps at the base of the standard frames? 2. When you initially install the nuc into the hive, do you place the six standard sized frames in the middle and a 14 x 12 foundation frame on either side and a dummy board, either side of these? Thanks.

 

[Angry_Mob]

1) No, just leave it on as they will keep drawing it out again if you do which is a waste of their resources. In time when you remove these frames you can knock off the bottom few inches.

2) Yes except only one dummy board per hive; you could put a division board to reduce the hive down to 8 frames.

 

[Bill_J]

1) No, just leave it on as they will keep drawing it out again if you do which is a waste of their resources. In time when you remove these frames you can knock off the bottom few inches.

2) Yes except only one dummy board per hive; you could put a division board to reduce the hive down to 8 frames.

Thanks for that, much appreciated. When I'm inspecting the standard frames, will the extra comb not break off as I take each frame out?

 

[Ian123]

On some occasions yes but the extended piece is normally attached to the entirety of the bottom bar and only spotted on the floor so it’s not to bad. The solution generally works well and improves when you manage to alternate the standard frames and 14x12 as they act as guides

 

[alfazer]

Hi Bill and welcome. If your tutor isn't too sure about sourcing bees then it sounds like your club doesn't have a breeding programme of it's own. So if I were you I would go to meetings and start getting to know people in your local club, put the word out that you are looking for bees.

I wouldn't get too hung up about insisting on black bees unless you know your club and local area are also dedicated to the black bee, otherwise your genes will soon be a melting pot anyway. I believe Dromore club had a well developed breeding programme for black bees, with an isolated mating station. Might be worth asking them.

If it's hard to get black bees then you are best just to go with what's local in the meantime. Also, if my own (fairly) black bees are anything to go by, they aren't always the most prolific layers, so filling deep brood frames could be a big step. But I hope I'm wrong! I don't think you'll find any locals selling deep nucs, so just follow advice above re drawing down comb, etc.

 

[Bill_J]

Hi Bill and welcome. If your tutor isn't too sure about sourcing bees then it sounds like your club doesn't have a breeding programme of it's own. So if I were you I would go to meetings and start getting to know people in your local club, put the word out that you are looking for bees.

I wouldn't get too hung up about insisting on black bees unless you know your club and local area are also dedicated to the black bee, otherwise your genes will soon be a melting pot anyway. I believe Dromore club had a well developed breeding programme for black bees, with an isolated mating station. Might be worth asking them.

If it's hard to get black bees then you are best just to go with what's local in the meantime. Also, if my own (fairly) black bees are anything to go by, they aren't always the most prolific layers, so filling deep brood frames could be a big step. But I hope I'm wrong! I don't think you'll find any locals selling deep nucs, so just follow advice above re drawing down comb, etc.

That's all sound advice... thank you. I'm glad I found this forum! Full of decent people happy to share their knowledge. Very much appreciated.