Jacking it in?

[Alanaccount]

Hi all. Feeling a bit despondent after a bad couple of weeks of beekeeping. I'm only in my second full year and my hive (I only have one) swarmed a couple of weeks ago. I had done a full inspection the week before and removed all queen cells as existing queen seemed fine (didn't spot her but plenty of eggs, larvae and capped brood) - presume I missed one! The swarm was huge but I got it into a nuc box and all seemed fine. I was planning to pass them on to someone else once I was happy that the queen was laying but the following weekend it swarmed from the nuc box - presumably because it was so full?
After an unsuccessful attempt at trying to catch the second swarm I checked the original hive - lots of capped brood but no sign of eggs (as expected - presume/hope there is a virgin queen who hasn't started laying yet). The nuc box still had a few bees in and loads of eggs so I'm hoping the colony will produce emergency queen cells and the nuc will still survive.
Just feel like the bees get the better of me from time to time and consider taking up a less stressful hobby! Think I might go back to bee school next year and just try a bit harder.

 

[enrico]

Without wishing to sound condescending just removing queen cells doesn't work. You need to have a plan of action for proper swarm control where you artificially do it yourself and then recombine if you don't what any more hives. It is fairly easy once you have done it a few times, just be removing queen cells is not going to quell their instinct to procreate by making another hive....
We all have bad times, persevere, you will come through it.
E

 

[Tom Bick]

The 2nd year is often a big wake up for many new beekeepers Alan that small nuc that built up last year can be a very different thing when and if it comes through the winter in good shape.

It does get better you are gaining good experience

 

[nelletap]

Well they say you learn much more when things go wrong and I believe there may be something in that. So take some comfort from the fact you must have learnt loads. Having a bee buddy or similar is a great help because you can talk things over. I am involved in a project where a team has some hives with a sort of educational purpose and several of us go to the group inspections and then look at our own hives having something we can compare with. It might be that the bee buddy doesn't need to have bees themselves. Is there anyone who went on yoru course or is in your BKA who hasn't been able to get tehir own bees - they'd probably welcome the chance to join in with your bees as part of their learning curve.

 

[Cazza]

At times like this my granny would say, "never let your mother know she bred a gibber."
Mark it all down to experience, pull yourself together and get on with it.......which is exactly what I said to myself a few weeks ago when everything seemed to be going Pete Tong.
Cazza

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

Some of us with three or four years experience also have periods of despondency! We, too, have had (and still have) unsuccessful attempts to control swarms etc. So don't lose heart.

My recollection is that year two was particularly difficulty because I felt I ought to know it all by then. Now I am content with the recognition that I will never know it all. And I can take occasional satisfaction when something actually goes right (which is usually followed by the bees teaching me another lesson!).

Relax, chill out (as I believe they say these days), and don't take it too much to heart. The bees have survived aeons without us. And I always feel that they are likely to survive my hamfisted attempts too.

And just occasionally you get some honey - and it's all worthwhile again!

 

[drex]

Hi Alanaccount,

I know how you feel. I am now in my third year, and realise that the second year is the toughest. The first year was easy, building up a small colony, then overcoming the challenge and getting them through winter. Second year they are stronger and have minds of their own, but having met the challenges gave me confidence. This year I have continued to learn so much and done lots of new things, and sometimes can feel daunted but no longer overwhelmed.

I went to bee school in Colchester and the tutor was D****. Lovely chap. If the same for you he will do anything he can to help you through this rough spell I am sure. Colchester BKA are currently working on a mentoring scheme to help folks in their early years, and D would give you details. I live 15 miles from you, and will help if I can, but I am sure you will have plenty of locals, as I know about 70 have been through bee school in the last 2 years, and buddying up with another newcomer can help confidence.

Keep going, it gets better.

 

[victor meldrew]

Hi all. Feeling a bit despondent after a bad couple of weeks of beekeeping. I'm only in my second full year and my hive (I only have one) swarmed a couple of weeks ago. I had done a full inspection the week before and removed all queen cells as existing queen seemed fine (didn't spot her but plenty of eggs, larvae and capped brood) - presume I missed one! The swarm was huge but I got it into a nuc box and all seemed fine. I was planning to pass them on to someone else once I was happy that the queen was laying but the following weekend it swarmed from the nuc box - presumably because it was so full?
After an unsuccessful attempt at trying to catch the second swarm I checked the original hive - lots of capped brood but no sign of eggs (as expected - presume/hope there is a virgin queen who hasn't started laying yet). The nuc box still had a few bees in and loads of eggs so I'm hoping the colony will produce emergency queen cells and the nuc will still survive.
Just feel like the bees get the better of me from time to time and consider taking up a less stressful hobby! Think I might go back to bee school next year and just try a bit harder.

Give the original hive a chance , It can take up a month from the issue of a swarm to the new queen getting mated and commencing laying Patience young man, Rome wasn't built in a day
You'll get there , the fun is in the learning: a process that never ceases !
VM

 

[Luminos]

Don't give up, Alanaccount - at least you got them through winter!
Thedeaddiplomat hit the nail on the head, esp in paragraph 2

 

[protheroe]

stick with it and put it down to experience,it will get better.I think an awful lot of people on this forum have felt the same as you at some time or another

 

[priono]

i havent sarted the post but i wanna thank you as well for keeping up the mood. i just reached the point at which i am getting desperate.

 

[Alanaccount]

Thanks so much for the tips. I did do my basic training with D in Colchester so think it will be worth going back and learning a bit more now that I've had some experience.
I'll also take the advice regarding proper swarm control and read up on this. Thanks again. First time I've used this site and obviously very popular and lots of helpful correspondents.

Good luck with your bees
Alan

 

[Robbie & Jans Bees]

Remember we do this to help bees not the other way round, I am in my second year it is hard but I now have 5 hives and growing you will be fine and your bees will help you learn, good luck and hey keep the group posted.

 

[theeggman]

Alan,
We collected a swarm June 2011.
13/5 we did an A/S, no problem, Ha Ha.
19/5 Removed QX under old Q (Rab BBKA News March 2012 Pagdon).
+ moved 'new' hive to the other side.
21/5 Old Q swarmed and settled in hawthorn 6ft. in front of hive.
Shook bees + Q into nuc. but half returned to original hive.
So in 2 weeks we've gone from 1 hive to ?3.
As I've said in a previous post sometimes the bees read the books before we do and other times they just do their own thing.
PLEASE stick with it.
Take the time to just watch them! and enjoy.

Tim

 

[tberni]

7 years ago I went into the winter with 10 hives and had 1 at the beginning of Spring, I now successfully run over a 100 hives. When I mentor people in their first 2 years and even when I see experienced beekeepers - they do not shake the bees off the frames properly - too timid, very few bees come off - they don't realise the importance of this and that they are much more likely to stung less by doing this. Give each frame a good shake, a really good shake - then check for queen cells.

I think theres a lot of swarms around this year. I don't like swarms, I have no interest in them, but I picked up 3 swarms in a day recently - three colonies settled in 3 hive boxes in a barn that I use. 2 queens were marked so theres an unhappy beekeeper out there somewhere. It happens to the best of us - although I now clip all my settled queens.
Thanks and don't worry about it
Tim

 

[iand]

Alan,
As I've said in a previous post sometimes the bees read the books before we do and other times they just do their own thing.
PLEASE stick with it.
Take the time to just watch them! and enjoy.

Tim

During an exam my examiner commented that he thought they read the books in Russian.
Very often bees/weather/or whatever will contrive to throw a spanner in the works. This is where a bit of experience helps, patience it may take decades & you will still learn something new even then. All we can do in the meantime is pick up the pieces and carry on as best we can.
Stick with it, it will get better.

Ian