im new to beekeeping please help :)

[gavhawk]

Hi,
like the title says im new to beekeeping, i have a smallish garden which im looking to place one beehive in it and some good plants. Ive always wanted to keep bees so just need to best way to start.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
Gavin

 

[beeboybee]

where are you gav?

usual place is local beekeeping club or local beekeeper to get some hands on experience use this winter to read as many books as possible and attend bee club meetings....
oh and most importantly welcome to the best bee recource on the www

 

[Poly Hive]

Welcome Gavin,

You won't probably like my comments though , although given with the best of intentions.

You really need two colonies.

You wold be a lot safer with the hives not in your garden as would your neighbors.

Search my threads for the reason.

PH

 

[Andy Duff]

Welcome Gavin,

You won't probably like my comments though , although given with the best of intentions.

You really need two colonies.

You wold be a lot safer with the hives not in your garden as would your neighbors.

Search my threads for the reason.

PH

 

[gavhawk]

Im in sunny Dorset... well i say sunny.
ive always wanted to keep bees and im looking to do it right and well so doing all the research i can before i start
thanks

 

[VEG]

Well you are doing it the right way by finding out from people that are doing it. There are a number of threads on here about keeping bees in gardens have a good read of them and then make your mind up.
Welcome as well

 

[gavhawk]

thanks ill have a good read of them all. im also planning to change my garden around to make it better for the bees.. better plants.
again thanks.

 

[dpearce4]

where in dorset are u?

Poggle might be worth you having a chat to.

 

[gavhawk]

just outside bournemouth

 

[Winker]

Welcome Gavin,

You won't probably like my comments though , although given with the best of intentions.

You really need two colonies.

You wold be a lot safer with the hives not in your garden as would your neighbors.

Search my threads for the reason.

PH

And if you have 2 colones you need room/Kit to expand to 4, then back to 2 again.

 

[countryman]

bees in garden

hi gav i have 8 on my garage roof keeps them hi and away from neighbours try to keep your flowers down a bit otherwise you will get them in your garden positive note you wont get any b$%^&&rds destroying your hive i agree with others get 2 how big is your garden ? and make sure they are of good temperment if they superseed and get feisty requeen straight away

 

[gavin]

I see that your local beekeeping association has taster days.

http://www.bads-********/

[will this URL work? http://tinyurl.com/5roead2 ]

Wrong time of year for them though. Hopefully you could also find a good mentor there.

Cracking name for a beekeeper by the way

G.

 

[drstitson]

"And if you have 2 colones you need room/Kit to expand to 4, then back to 2 again."

BUT you can go upwards NOT sideways!

 

[Skyhook]

Hi Gavin

I'm in Christchurch, so not far from you. Our local association is Bournemouth and Dorset South- links tend to get screwed up on here, but google BADS-BKA and it's the first hit. I'm a member, started with last years taster day and it's a very good way in. There are evening meetings through the winter iif you can't wait, but I have to admit they're not as much fun as apiary days. The beginners day is April 28th, then there are apiary days every saturday afternoon. You can't beat a bit of hands-on.

Good to do some reading- 'Bees at the bottom of the garden' By Alan Campion is a very good introduction. Libraries should be able to get it for you, or if you take the plunge and join the association, you can borrow books at the winter meetings.

I'm not sure people have made the objections to having bees in your garden clear- basically, bees can turn nasty- either because of bad genes, or a temporary situation such as the weather- and you don't want to cause problems for your neighbours if this happens. There are people who keep bees in the garden no problem, but it needs serious consideration. Many people find an alternative site- often easier than it sounds.

Spend lots of time trawling this site- I basically read the whole site when I found it- well, not quite, but the more you read the more you learn.

PS welcome to the forum

 

[mystil]

Hello Gavin. Glad you are asking about how to go about getting a hive and doing the research first.

A couple of things to consider for later on:

Just be aware you can spend alot of money on plants for bees and you might find that they bugger off if Oil seed rape is within 3 miles and not stay in the garden as much as you like.

I also have bees in my garden and am a beginner (hubby has done his basic exam). Make sure you do really good inspections every time or else you may end up with a swarm and angry neighbours.
Also I would suggest you go to your local Beekeeping course before you start.

A garden is not the ideal location (depending on size) as if anything goes wrong you have to be there and deal with it or else your neighbours might not be too pleased with you, however you can keep a better eye on what is happening. So swings and roundabouts, however I would suggest you find an out apairy just in case your hives get nasty.

Hope this helps abit for later on in your research.

Liza

 

[Hebeegeebee]

You can keep bees in a garden. See attached. However it's a good idea to have an out-apiary available if you need it - occasionally bees get a bit ratty and need to be removed.

Having bee friendly plants in the garden is great however bees travel a couple of miles or more to fields, gardens, hedgerows, trees, market gardens etc so what you provide will only be a tiny fraction of what they need. (They need to find 20kg+ of pollen per year).

In a small back garden, bees can be positioned so that they fly up and over a 6 foot hedge or fence to above the heads of neighbours. I know people who di that.

Assume you will have to deal with swarms (I clip the queens wing so I don't lose them - the swarm comes back). You or your neighbours have to deal with bee poo which drops on washing and cars. If you have a sunday-morning-car-cleaner next door, you might have a grumpy one once they realise that the honey-coloured dots on the highly polished Allegro are all your fault.

There often ways of working around any problems so don't be put off. It's just worthwhile knowing what you're letting yourself in for.
The BBKA have a leaflet on their web site about apiary sites under Members / Information Downloads.

 

[Arfermo]

Joining your local BKA is essential, as not only do you get membership of the British BKA with Public Liability Insurance (essential for garden apiaries anyway) thrown in but also loss insurance for up to 3 hives within the joining fee and a monthly magazine; also a wealth of advice available from other members as well as apiary visits in season and, if yours is like mine, several winter talks by very experienced speakers eg Celia Davies, John Goodwin and others in my case. You may also find beeks who will mentor you and even give/sell you hives or nucs or frames with eggs and larvae if needed. When you become a member of your BKA, you can then register with Beebase etc and download FERA booklets in pdf format on "Managing Varroa" and "Foul Brood Disease of Honey Bees" as well as a huge number of other exceptionally useful stuff.
Finally, you need to read a lot. Buy Ted Hoopers' (MBE) book "Guide to Bees and Honey" (Amazon cheapest source). Exceptionally good read by somebody who sadly died last year and who was an international expert in every sense of the word. Also subscribe to "Beecraft" magazine. Surf this forum as necessary but beware of seemingly conflicting advice as dozens of beekeepers will bombard you with their views and you will have to make you own mind up in the end.
The one certainty is that only one hive is not enough and you will want more hives as you go along, 2 is a better minimum as well as at least one full set of spare kit and a nuc box for housing the odd swarm if you lucky.
Then you will be motoring.