How did you get into Bee Keeping?

[kazmcc]

You are so brave Ouarda, how sweet that they chose you I bet when you found them in your hive you were so happy. I have a very bad fear of bees ( long story about why I am now trying to be a bee keeper lol ) so I am taking things easy. Saying that, now I've been near two hives and I haven't been chased away like in the cartoons, I am raring to go. Our bees will be put on the site on Monday and I can't wait. I will be doing hands on for the first time I am really looking forward to it and my fear has almost gone. I will always be wary but the terror I used to feel has just faded away. I wish i had done this years ago.

 

[Ouarda]

Well done Kazmcc to work so hard to overcome your fears, I take my hat off to you. Good luck for your big day I'm sure you'll be fine. These little creatures are so facinating and so important our own being and the planet.

 

[Brian Bush]

I have watched videos on the net of people collecting a swarm, and I know what you mean by admiration.

Hi kazmcc, I collected a swarm last night and one last Friday. I find it one of the most pleasurable bits of beekeeping. Probably done 10 this year to date.
I got most of last night's swarm at about 17:30 into a NUC box and put the frames in. I closed the dial to queen excluder and left on a sheet on the ladies lawn. Returned at 20:00 to find all the flyers clustered around the entrance. A couple of squirts of sugar spray and they all filed in. Moved the NUC to the apiary and gave them a tray of honey cappings to get them going. Loked at Fridays girls and they had finished their tray and were drawing comb. A most rewarding evening.

 

[kazmcc]

That's brilliant Brian I have so much to learn yet, but maybe one day it will be me

 

[Poly Hive]

Very long story but 2nd time around we met a guy in the local park who said (fatal words) There is a swarm hanging from a branch down the park by the road.

There was. I took it. Easiest one ever.

The rest is history.

PH

 

[Vortex]

My primary hobby is historical re-enactment. We've been building a Saxon Manorial Burgh for a few years, and over the last 4 (or so) have been working with one of the local bee keepers.
After spending a year talking to him, he got a couple of us to give him a hand the summer before last, which rekindled a notional interest in keeping bees, that last summer gave rise to a couple of us taking a greater interest, and me joining my local association.
From there it was just a question of going to the club apiary as often as possible, getting as much hands on experience, obtaining kit, and putting plans in place to get a nuc.
Unfortunately these didn't come to fruition due to the winter weather and the Icelandic volcanoe. Then the clutch failed on the car, which meant I couldn't afford a nuc, so it was down to waiting in the hope of picking up a swarm.
After 1 got away 8 weeks ago, I had scouts around some nuc boxes I'd made to take to the Saxon Longhall Site, I put out a bait hive and 2 weeks ago I had a cast move in. Shame the weather hasn't been great but hopefully with the return of some heat they'll be able to draw more of the brood frames. Now waiting for the first batch of new brood to hatch, which was capped last Sunday.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

I saw the seasonal bee inspector open a nuc in the local village fete. I got stung and got hooked! I was 14.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Great uncle was a beekeeper who had around 35 wbc hives on his farm,which i remember as a kid between the age of seven eight years old,and used to go along with him and puff the smoker,never knew bugger all about bee's,still don't,but i really loved that smoker....collected first swarm at the age of twelve under his guidance....and been suffering with bee fever ever since,athough had a great interest in motorbikes,girls, and cars in my teeenage years....like you do...but i luckily recovered from this infection. Great grandfather was also a beekeeper.

 

[Arfermo]

Made a bid for a smock, hive tool and gloves on freecycle, won and got hooked. Joined the local association, bought more stuff when I was offered a hive, that swarmed in no time at all but it enabled me to expand using the Q/cells left behind, so no great loss. Even 'er indoors is interested tho' not the practical side. She's run out of names too but is invaluable when extracting and bottling - as well as all the cleaning up afterwards.

Arfermo

 

[JamesB]

At the age of 13 to 16 i helped my Dad in the spinning and putting the honey into the jars etc,
Joined the Army and got on with my life,
Now aged 42 My Dad retired from Beekeeping a couple of yrs ago but took a hive my late grandfather had in his alotment, which was just left.

My dad asked if id liked to help, i agreed this year now we have 3 hives and looking to build my Dads apiary to its former glory

 

[kazmcc]

It's good to see a lot of people started their interest when very young. Hopefully, with this project ( pics in my album, take a look ) we will be creating a whole swarm of future bee keepers lol, this is the dream.

Is that what you call a group of bee keepers? A swarm?

 

[Roy S]

I've always been interested in insects, and had kept and bred various stick insects, praying mantids, beetles and other inverts. As far as I can remember I've always been fascinated by bees and ants, with bees holding the most fascination.

My first contact with them properly was back in the 70s in Lincolnshire when I was stationed there in the air force. Got to know a elderly chap in the local pub, turns out he was a beekeeper who was thinking of hanging up his smoker as it was getting a bit much for him. I offered to help in return for him teaching me a bit more about them. I ended up helping him for around three years until he passed away suddenly.
I wasnt in the position to have any bees of my own which was sad for me seeing as the beekeeper wanted me to carry on his apiary, as luck would have it his grandson carried on where he left off.
At that point my interest for bees then lay dormant for around 5-6 years.

A good while later I was watching a programme, I think it was on channel 4 called "the industrious bee" if I remember rightly, after watching this I got in touch with my local association, and the rest as they say is history!
At one stage I was up to well over 60 colonies and many nucs I also used to help out other beeks in our BKA, but that amount of colonies and work was too much, so running a smaller amount these days! (though it seems to be growing in number again!)

I've never outgrown my fascination with other insects though either, and still have a good few around....even better my two young lads share my love of insects, and my father of 75 took up beekeeping 2 years ago after confessing that he always had been fascinated by them.

So now I have the best of everything....I keep bees, my lads join me, and my father is with me every step of the way. Life doesnt get much better does it?

excuse the picture....we dont always look like such planks hahahaha ( I wish my dad had fixed his collar!)

 

[garethbryson]

Well done Kazmcc to work so hard to overcome your fears, I take my hat off to you. Good luck for your big day I'm sure you'll be fine. These little creatures are so facinating and so important our own being and the planet.

They can also be the most infuriating little creatures at times too.

I got into beekeeping as is was probably the only thing left for me to try. SWMBO will agree on this one. In my youth i had fast cars, raced motorbikes, showjumped and most other things. I was reared on a farm and in my recent years i've started breeding pedigree Kerryhill sheep, i now breed horses and a have a small herd of suckler cows. I have hens running about too. So like i say it was the next thing i could think of to try. I did the preliminary course last winter and have had my first colony for 3 weeks now and i have already managed to let them swarm or else i have killed the queen. but sure its all in a days Craic.

 

[kazmcc]

Seems like you have plenty of animals to care for Gareth, I would love that. I live in the city and the only space I have is a small back garden, which the kids have taken over for football, etc.

Roy, that was a lovely story. I love your pic, you all look so happy Your dad probaly was having a Fonzy moment, which is allowed lol. One small question, where did you get the bee suit for your son?