how to avoid having too many hives???

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Mr W has been heard to say on numerous occasions.....how many frames /boxes do you need (in a despairing tone) when I hand him another pile of stuff to build for me.....I know I was only supposed to have 2hives but some how I now have 4 and a nuc.....it would have been 5 but one lot have gone to my mentors.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

one lot have gone to my mentors.

I take it that is not as bad as it sounds? pupil turned teacher etc...?

 

[Mrs Webmuppet]

The hive in question turned nasty....they went to my mentors remote apiary to be requeened. They even went for him when he came to take them away (I was reassured that it wasn't just me they didn't like, he said he didn't want me attempting to requeen them where they were).

 

[Erichalfbee]

That's the problem with keeping bees in your back garden

 

[YorkshireBees]

Am hoping to have about 4/5 hives eventually, so was wondering once there how do you stop the increase, with AS's etc each year, is it as simple as do reunites where required and donate surplus?. And what amount of spare hives would be needed?
Hope this makes sense, just looking into the next few years!!

Simplest answer is DO NOT START beekeeping!


Seriously, you always end up with more colonies than you intend unless you are ruthless and combine / cull.

I have been guilty of it in the past, not reducing / combining enough and end up with several small colonies not producing when I should have 1-2 large colonies.

I say again the secret is thinking / ruthlessness!

 

[Nakedapiarist]

For all the stuff that was mentioned on the course I wasn't prepared for the multiplying colonies! I'm supposed to have two but briefly peaked at five ( two splits and a captured swarm ), although it was a pain in an garden apiary the situation didn't last long though - four weeks at the most before I was back to two.

Double decking a hive helps - one on top of the other with entrances at 180 degrees. Probably not ideal but when you know you're going to unite the colonies it works and at least limits the number of 'visible hives' if not the real number.

This was supposed to be 'my hobby' but there's no hiding the details of the colonies from my other half - a few weeks ago I got home to discover a bucket full of bees sitting in the shade - a swarm cropped up nearby so she just went out and grabbed it

 

[Gilberdyke John]

This was supposed to be 'my hobby' but there's no hiding the details of the colonies from my other half - a few weeks ago I got home to discover a bucket full of bees sitting in the shade - a swarm cropped up nearby so she just went out and grabbed it

Fantastic! Obviously a keeper

 

[bontbee]

Nothing wrong with selling your nucs to make money either. All this giving away for free may be damaging to beekeepers that rely on selling nucs as part of their profession.

And, it seems to be a sad but true fact, (would it be a fact if it wasn't true???), that most people value something they paid for more than something they had free.....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That's the problem with keeping bees in your back garden

Depends on your back garden I suppose

And, it seems to be a sad but true fact, (would it be a fact if it wasn't true???), that most people value something they paid for more than something they had free.....

 

[Mrs Webmuppet]

My bees no longer live in my garden....I got offered another location with far more room and away from any grumpy neighbours.