keeping only one hive

[mark1]

I know the ideal is to have a minimum of two hives, but is it a realistic option to manage and keep only one hive, and what sort of problems can I expect

 

[Luminos]

If you lose your one hive, it's gorn, and you have to start again

 

[Roola]

I know the ideal is to have a minimum of two hives, but is it a realistic option to manage and keep only one hive, and what sort of problems can I expect

Having a second hive gives you a backup plan, a source of eggs for instance should your other hive lose a queen etc... If your one hive gets into trouble the only option is to then beg other beekeepers for frames for example. Better to have a second colony and not really much more work for the benefit.

 

[pargyle]

I know the ideal is to have a minimum of two hives, but is it a realistic option to manage and keep only one hive, and what sort of problems can I expect

Two is better than one but, in the first year, one is enough to manage !! You will definitely need two in your second year or you are going to have to find a way to stop them swarming without AS (not sure there is a reliable one) or accept that a lot of your best bees are going to fly off into the wild blue yonder leaviing you with a starter colony ... if you don't want any honey and you feel you want to contribute swarms to the neighbourhood then one hive will work ... until they die !

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I know the ideal is to have a minimum of two hives, but is it a realistic option to manage and keep only one hive, and what sort of problems can I expect

If you have only one hive and can stay there with healthy and prolific bees it suggests you have found the secret of total swarm control.
Wiser to be like the boy scouts and be prepared with a spare hive or at least a nuc.

 

[Cazza]

The more hives you have, the less you worry about each individual one (IMHO.)
Cazza

 

[Dishmop]

The more hives you have, the less you worry about each individual one (IMHO.)
Cazza

Does one reach a point at which life as a beek become euphoric?

 

[pargyle]

Does one reach a point at which life as a beek become euphoric?

I'm there with ONE hive ... what will I be like if I get TWO ????

 

[yellowrage 53]

If you have only one hive and can stay there with healthy and prolific bees it suggests you have found the secret of total swarm control.
Wiser to be like the boy scouts and be prepared with a spare hive or at least a nuc.

what nuc would you suggest ?

 

[REDWOOD]

what nuc would you suggest ?

Not one pointed at Russia, sorry, if you plan on doing an AS then don't bother with a nuc buy a BB, so many more uses than a nuc

 

[Gilberdyke John]

what nuc would you suggest ?

One which uses the same frames as your hive. Personally I'd rather use a second (or third etc) brood with dummy boards but you pays your money and takes your choice. As long as its a dry cavity with an entrance the bees don't care what it looks like despite the various bits of marketing hype.

 

[yellowrage 53]

One which uses the same frames as your hive. Personally I'd rather use a second (or third etc) brood with dummy boards but you pays your money and takes your choice. As long as its a dry cavity with an entrance the bees don't care what it looks like despite the various bits of marketing hype.

thank you and best place to buy from ?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

thank you and best place to buy from ?

I make my own hives nowadays out of plywood. You could try an eBay shop which is where I started as I began with buying one 14 x 12 with two supers from fragile planet. It came with varroa floor, boxes, roof etc but you can mix and match from their lists. I also use kingspan in 1" thickness to make winter overjackets. Assembly is easy but buy a box of screws instead of nails and drill pilot holes. Use a couple of assembled frames with spacers attached to the sides or cut templates out of sheet to get your beespaces right.
I don't glue until satisfied everything is correctly put together then take apart, glue and reassemble. Use a metal queen excluded to check squareness top and bottom of your boxes. Work on a flat table to keep the finished product true so it doesn't "cockle" when you have finished. Satisfying when you have Bees living in it.

 

[Dishmop]

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/natbrood.html