Hello from north devon

[Jon329]

Hello, just wanted to introduce myself! Joined the forum last week and I've found it really helpfull.

I've been constructing my own beehive from some old pine I've found in the loft, almost finished it, just needs some handles and an entrance reducer. Been an enjoyable project and kept me busy over the weekend, just Hope the bees approve!

I've wanted to get into bee keeping for some time but finally decided to give it a go when i found out that my parents think they have bees in their loft. I'm planning on try to rehome them when i have everything ready. Not looking forward to my first time of dealing with bees being in a confined space in a roof but let see what happens!

Currently finding it hard to decide on a bee suit, but as im on a budget i cant really afford a BB suit like everyone recommends. I've narrowed it down to the buzz light weight range or go to my local thornes store for their vented mesh suit

https://www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk...eepers-lightweight-suit-forest-green-8-detail

https://www.thorne.co.uk/hardware-clothing/clothing/mesh-clothing?product_id=6992

The hive I've made is a langstroth 8 frame hive with 2 deeps and 1 super, would really appreciate any feedback if it seems suitable.

 

[enrico]

Welcome. Talking about in at the deep end. If they are bees Inthe loft and not wasps then you WILL need help!!!!!!
E

 

[Angry_Mob]

STBK does a vented bee suit for a bit less than the Thornes one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00TOHQ2SO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Jon329]

Welcome. Talking about in at the deep end. If they are bees Inthe loft and not wasps then you WILL need help!!!!!!
E

Agreed, its defenitly bees, as I've watched them coming and going. I'm just a bit worried about purchasing bees as a learner as im bound to make a mistake and my £200 will swarm off.

 

[Jon329]

STBK does a vented bee suit for a bit less than the Thornes one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00TOHQ2SO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good point, may go for that then. Tried a vented one on today, hard to believe that they even protect from bee stings. Not sure if its worth £30 more than the other STBK suit though.


https://www.thorne.co.uk/hives-and-bees/beehive-protection?product_id=7191

Has anyone used this stain and protection product on their hive. Spent ages researching online and cupronol garden shades seem to be the most popular choice but then other people said it doesnt actually protect the wood. So i found this stain protection from thornes today and as it can be used inside the hive its probably worth the extra £2

 

[enrico]

You don't need to do the inside of the hive. The bees will keep that dry and rot free. Even the walls of the hive get relatively little rain it is the roof that you need to waterproof.
If you are thinking of doing a cut out from a roof it is a huge job. For a start the bees may be elsewhere than where the entrance is. It is a hot sticky laborious job needing more than one pair of hands, several buckets for good and bad comb and to keep washinghoney off your hands, a foolproof method of attaching the comb to frames.
Please think twice and get help or get used to handling bees first!
E

 

[Jon329]

Okay Thank you for your advise i wont use it inside then. I think ill get the bee suit and then ill just have a quick look to see whats going on up in the loft. Aparently theyve only been there for about a week now so hopefully it wont be to bad.

Spoke to some helpfull bee keeper in store today, they advised spraying them with sugary water, and trying to transfer the queen into a box with a hole in, and if i have caught her the other bees should follow her into the box.

 

[enrico]

If it was that easy.....there will probably be three or four frames of wild comb already. Take a box with you. If the combs are hanging free it is easy, gently break them off and put them in the box. If they are in a difficult to get place then your job gets complicated very quickly.
Take the box out with you, cut the comb to roughly the size of frames with out foundation in and hold them in the frames with rubber bands.that way you save any food and brood.
As you say have a good look and a good think about how you are going to to do it and what you may need before you make a start. Once started you can't go back.
The bees won't follow the queen into the box necessarily unless you can get the box really close to where they are and if there is brood they won't all follow!
I am not discouraging you to be a pain, I have done many cut outs and none have ever been simple. I have got so covered in honey that I have had to shower with my suit on to try and get a bit clean. It can be both rewarding and complete hell..... Good luck though and please let us know what you find when you look
E

 

[Jon329]

I am not discouraging you to be a pain, I have done many cut outs and none have ever been simple. I have got so covered in honey that I have had to shower with my suit on to try and get a bit clean.
E

I understand, and i really appreciate your advice, think that's also helped me decide which bee suit to go for as well! dont want to invest in an expensive one if i could potentially ruin it in a loft. to be honest we have already had a visual check in the loft, we could see where the bees were coming in through a gap between the roof and the wall but couldnt see anything else, so they may be under the insulation. ill be sure to take some pictures and report back when i can

 

[Millet]

Is this what you are looking for, it looks good to me..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PU-Full-...m=232632916217&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[Jon329]

Is this what you are looking for, it looks good to me..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PU-Full-...m=232632916217&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Is that for business, or for pleasure?

 

[enrico]

Never seen one of those......amazing!

 

[Millet]

Is that for business, or for pleasure?

 

[Millet]

Never seen one of those......amazing!

Just messing by the way

I'll stick with my bullet proof Oz Armour for now.

 

[For want of a better word]

Is that for business, or for pleasure?

Some get pleasure in the strangest of ways
Millette needs some professional help for sure!!

Nos da

 

[charlievictorbravo]

With beesuits, you get what you pay for. As a farmer once said "If you want to buy oats, you need to pay the right price. If you don't mind waiting for the oats to go through a horse once, it comes a little cheaper".

I started out with a cheap Indian-made suit. I kept it for 4 years doing running repairs such as wrist elastic broken or zips stuck, etc. After a reasonable year last year with honey sales and a particularly unfortunate episode when the veil split on the Indian suit (7 stings!), I bought a BBWear suit and feel much more confident handling bees when wearing that. That confidence means, I think, that I handle the brood frames better and the bees are less aggressive. So by all means start out with a cheap suit but aspire to get a good quality suit when you can justify the expense.

As for doing a cutout in a roof-space, I'd be inclined to get some help with that. Have you made contact with your local Beekeepers' Association? That would be a good source of advice and possibly physical help - they might even have ready-made captive swarms from this summer looking for a home with a new beekeeper.

CVB

 

[enrico]

I had not gone down that road yet as inhad already been putting a downer on the poor guy but yes, I agree, a cheap suit is asking for trouble. I would get the best suit you can afford. It will last 25 years not three.
Mine did
E

 

[Jon329]

I ended up buying a STBK buzz bee wear suit with free gloves £33. I will without doubt buy a BB one if i manage to get something set up and experience what its like. I've been given two numbers for beekeeping clubs, ill contact them at some point, the Thornes shop owners seemed pretty keen to sell some bees to me as well. I will try and contact my local bee asociation as you suggested, even if its just for advise and help if needed with the loft, hopefully all my kit will arrive this week and i'll let you know how i get on

 

[hallshoney]

Hi Jon don't know if you are aware that Thornes have a shop now behind quince honey farm

 

[Jon329]

Hi Jon don't know if you are aware that Thornes have a shop now behind quince honey farm

Hi, yeah i popped in last week, thanks though ill have to make another visit to get some foundation.

Has anyone tried fishing line as an alternative for foundation? Im guess this is something that's not worth skimping on though. I just got my frames through the post, hadnt realised you have to assemble them around the foundations.

Picking up my bee suit tomorrow so hopefully ill be able to post some pictures of my swarm lurking in the loft.