Hello

[Bartlby]

Hi everyone

I'm in Somerset and I'm planning to get some bees this year - we have a 4 acre field which is slowly being planted up with orchard trees, the field itself is planted to grass (grows an amazing crop of dandelions in the spring) but we've been adding wildflower strips on the windward side so we we hope they'll slowly spread seed across the field. anyway adding some bees seemed like a good idea. I had a hive about 25 years ago (a National that was given to me complete with bees) but I didn't know what I was doing so wasn't very successful and when I moved I gave the hive and bees to the owner of the land where I kept them. This time I've signed up for a course run by the local Association so hopefully I'll see greater success this time. Due to back issues I'm looking at horizontal hives - will probably build my own but to what design (there seem to an unlimited number to chose from) I'm not yet sure.

 

[Swarm]

Welcome to the forum.
Those Dandelions will be appreciated by your bees

 

[Bartlby]

Welcome to the forum.
Those Dandelions will be appreciated by your bees

Yeah I know but I doubt I'll have bees in time for this year - we'll see

 

[enrico]

Yeah I know but I doubt I'll have bees in time for this year - we'll see

Without being too exact which part of Somerset are you in? There are quite a few of us on this forum. Best of luck. Always here to help.

 

[Bartlby]

Many thanks - I'm up on the mendips a bit south of Bath

 

[enrico]

Many thanks - I'm up on the mendips a bit south of Bath

Thanks, a bit far away but there are some closer to you if you ever need help

 

[Penninetrader]

Have you considered placing some swarm traps, it would seem a perfect location to do so.

 

[plain_hunt]

I’m on the Mendips, a bit east of Weston

 

[Bartlby]

Have you considered placing some swarm traps, it would seem a perfect location to do so.

Yes I have - actually just been given a modified Layens with some bees - it had been left with the lid off the hive but bees survived and someone rescued it and offered it to me - bit of a mess inside. Anyway I was planning some bait hives but was thinking I'd want them sized to match the frames in whatever hive I built - maybe that decision has been made for me now - the plan was/is to build long deep hive compatible with national frames

 

[Bartlby]

I’m on the Mendips, a bit east of Weston

Nice part of the mendips

 

[Bartlby]

Picked up the hive today - frames have all fallen into the hive at some point and bee's have just built comb fairly randomly - hive is wet in the bottom where the lid had been left off - bit of clear space one side of one follower board so will try and get the bees onto new frames in that part of the hive as the weather warms up - they have a bit of fondant which they're eating and a few came out and flew orientation flights when we got the hive to its new location - nice small dark bees.

 

[Penninetrader]

Picked up the hive today - frames have all fallen into the hive at some point and bee's have just built comb fairly randomly - hive is wet in the bottom where the lid had been left off - bit of clear space one side of one follower board so will try and get the bees onto new frames in that part of the hive as the weather warms up - they have a bit of fondant which they're eating and a few came out and flew orientation flights when we got the hive to its new location - nice small dark bees.

You might just have a gem there, they have already demonstrated their survival instincts, others will disagree, but I would let them carry on doing their own thing and just help out with a good home. If they have good resistance and adaptation traits then producing queens from them would be very beneficial.

 

[Bartlby]

You might just have a gem there, they have already demonstrated their survival instincts, others will disagree, but I would let them carry on doing their own thing and just help out with a good home. If they have good resistance and adaptation traits then producing queens from them would be very beneficial.

Yeah I think I've done well - very pleased. I'm going to put a bait hive in a tree nearby so if they swarm I don't lose them.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yeah I think I've done well - very pleased. I'm going to put a bait hive in a tree nearby so if they swarm I don't lose them.

no guarantee they'll decide to move into it. Better bet would be to learn how to avoid losing a swarm.