Hive Help!

[mattusherwood]

Good Afternoon

I hope everyone is well.

My better half participated in the excellent Nottinghamshire Bee Keepers association course a few years back. Since then we have moved in somewhere with a bit more garden space – enough to keep bees. With her Birthday coming up I was hoping to get hold of a good beginner Bee hive for her to use. Happy to get 2nd hand as Ive no issues sanding one back and repairing it if necessary. However I would love some advice on what type to go for?

She has been thinking about keeping bees for years, and I know getting her a hive would be the little nudge she needs.

Cheers

Matt

 

[Adam Bee]

Buying professional equipment for a professional but not being one is a challenge.

I remember wanting to buy my dad fishing gear, but ended up with a gift certificate as I couldn’t make that call.

There are some common UK hive styles, but your other half may have specific ideas about how she wants to keep bees. Perhaps she’s interested in a top bar hive or some other specific hive style?

Do you have a budget?

Many years back I bought my wife a marine reef aquarium and I gave her a card with a photo of the tank I wanted on eBay and the cash. We ended up buying a different one, but she was thrilled the “gift” of an eBay listing and the cash to buy it.

 

[Murox]

Hi Matt, it would be safer to take a mystery trip to your nearest "bee supply shop" and take it from there. It would be prudent to join up with the local association and have your partner attend some sessions first, perhaps that would be a more appropriate gift initially.
Type of hive depends on various things including personal preference.
One thing I will seriously bring to your attention is the question of where you site a hive - the garden of suburban garden really is not wise or suitable - read through some of the nightmare tales on the forum recently. I do not know your situation but a hive really needs to sited at least 50metres away from any housing.
Your support and willingness to fix up older hives is admirable, I would suggest that you aim for modern poly hives of whatever sort.

 

[Adam Bee]

One thing you can give her is a new up to date membership in the excellent Nottinghamshire Bee Keepers association. That’s a real thing to give her, and then work on the hive and bees as a pile of cash.

Now, to be aware: budget wise, you’ll be lucky to get started under £500: and maybe that for the hive and bees alone. You’ll need personal kit as well including TWO bee suits (you don’t think you’re getting out of there alive without helping?), tools, probably a smoker and other bibs and bobs - to start.

 

[Beefriendly]

Could do a lot worse than buy her an Abelo Green starter pack.
Poly hive and supers/frames/foundation/suit/smoker/hive tool./gloves...
At £265 not to be sniffed at.
Although woirth looking aorund other companies as mnay do start packs.
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/beekeeping-starter-kits/green-starter-kit-national-poly-hive-super/

 

[Adam Bee]

Wow! There’s quite a bit there for the price. Do you know if your partner has any issue with polystyrene? Some people would only want to run wood, but for just over £250, that’s a lot of kit! I bought most of my kit from caddon hives. They have nice cedar bits for good prices. I’ve also bought some product from Thornes as it was cheap.

Before you get started, however, you should be aware that you may out grow that hive (or any starter hive) fairly quickly. One of our other new members (jazz??) needs or will soon need a second brood box as his colony is expanding rapidly. He’s only had his colony a few weeks. Just be prepared to be “in for a penny, in for a pound”!

 

[jeff33]

And also consider the type of bees you/she will get as some strains need more space than other. In addition, buy dble... She will soon find out that she needs spare equipment... yesterday

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Could do a lot worse than buy her an Abelo Green starter pack.
Poly hive and supers/frames/foundation/suit/smoker/hive tool./gloves...
At £265 not to be sniffed at.
Although woirth looking aorund other companies as mnay do start packs.
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/beekeeping-starter-kits/green-starter-kit-national-poly-hive-super/

Thornes and Maisemores do bees on a budget starter packs as well, all have websites so take a look

 

[Adam Bee]

And their cedar starter kit is not that much more, if you are into wood. £295

https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/beekeeping-starter-kits/national-cedar-starter-kit/

Great prices!