last possible date

[mark s]

evening all

hopefully im not too late already but can anyone advise wot is the really last date that i should try and get some bees for ,as im almost ready and set up now,just a few more things too get.
also where should i try and get them from if im not too late already.
thanx in advance for your adviseany suggestions gratefully recieved

 

[Poly Hive]

Given I have or will have shortly bees for sale my suggestion is there is plenty of time but I would say that.

However given your location actually given my location here in the East Midlands, there is loads of time. Most of my beekeeping was in Aberdeenshire and there too I would say that there is lots of time.

This is mid June, I would consider the shut down time late September. so on that cautious date, there is what left? 13 weeks or so. Far more than time enough to get up to a decent size.

What do others think?

PH

 

[gavin]

I think that Chris Slade keeps some of his bees on the island - he might be a useful contact, either to share bees with you or point you to swarms. Do you know him?

G.

 

[hedgerow pete]

in a poly hive you could just get away with buying as late august with some stong feeding i cant see there being a problem at all for you as down on the south coast one is a little warmer than up in the midlands, it depends realy on how much can you pamper them i can bring most nucs through the winter with the bee shed and two night light candles burning to keep the frost not off but reasonably better than outside, i new one old guy he used to bring his nucs inside the house and had several pieces of hose pipe that were a foot long and along the bottom of the living room window was a set of corks from where he had drilled a series of holes so he could bring his 7 nucs inside and have the bees flying outside if they wanted to

 

[mark s]

hi gavin
dont know him im afraid.
hi pete
ive actually built a small coral type area for my bees so they would get loads of protection from the weather,having said that we dont get very severe weather down here(touching wood while typing this) so hopefully they would be ok

 

[gavin]

Sorry - just ignore me. It was the Isle of Portland.

G.

 

[Crg]

you as down on the south coast one is a little warmer than up in the midlands, it depends realy on how much can you pamper them

Done south I think there's plenty of time left. I started a nuc 3rd of September last year and it got through the winter with no pampering. Probably helps that this was in London which is relatively warm though.

 

[BKF Admin]

Mark I can do you a Nuc when you are ready.
I am on the island the end of next month to visit the brother in-law who is in Sandown.

If you want them before you can drive over to my place (I am about 5 miles from the ferry port) or I can meet you this side if you are a foot passenger.

Send me a pm..

 

[mark s]

pm sent