Late Starter

[sharpy]

I have been lurking around the forum for a while and gaining lots of information and different viewpoints
I appreciate its a a little late in the season but I now have two national hives ready and would like my own bees to gain some hands on experience in order to hit the ground running next year. I am situated in Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands but can travel to collect anything suitable.

 

[VEG]

I know waiting is difficult but I would leave it until spring next year. Paying for bees now and getting them through winter is a risk. You wouldnt get to see much of the bees from now on as they start to wind down for the end of the season.

 

[Outlander]

I know waiting is difficult but I would leave it until spring next year. Paying for bees now and getting them through winter is a risk. You wouldnt get to see much of the bees from now on as they start to wind down for the end of the season.

With Veg on this one unless your lucky enough to pick up at late swarm but certainly would not pay this late on.

 

[itma]

You didn't say if you had joined your local club/association.

Get in with them asap - even if they won't let you pay your subs before January ...
They may hear of a swarm for you.
Bit late in the season now.
Likely no one else would be excited about getting it, being a bit of a (feeding) liability to get through winter.

Have you done any sort of a beginner's course?
They may want that before setting you up with bees.
If not, the winter is the time for doing courses.

And anyway, the association will probably be only too happy to have a recruit who will volunteer to assist anyone, anytime, for the experience. At this time of the year, some beeks have some fairly heavy boxes to shift ...

 

[sharpy]

Thanks for your responses. Im sure you're correct . I have been along to my local association and will hopefully join next year. Working strange shifts however doesn't always fit well with regular meetings !

 

[enrico]

If you do not get any by next year let me know.... I am sure we can sort something out, but please get a bit of hands on experience first...
E

 

[sharpy]

Thank You

 

[psafloyd]

Better wait than have to suffer the agonies you will feel hoping a colony makes it through the winter without any experience at all.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Our bees came to us in January, from somebody who was having to give up. They took a lot of food during the first three months.

The price per colony was right for the time of year, so it isn't always a bad move.

 

[Hawklord]

Our bees came to us in January, from somebody who was having to give up. They took a lot of food during the first three months.

The price per colony was right for the time of year, so it isn't always a bad move.

Buying a nuc now will be cheaper than buying an over wintered 1.

 

[GiantswoodHoney]

I am emigrating, I have one main hive, one small hive which I moved from a nuc I made this year and two other nucs. All are buckfast bees; very calm and very prolific.

would you like to make me an offer?

 

[David the Gardener]

I have bees near you

I live near you in Nuneaton and have just posted a full colony for sale.
If you want to get your bees through the winter you need to feed them extremely well and im talking about 4 - 5 gallons per hive.
See my post in 2013 nucs for sale. £120
Thanks David

 

[pargyle]

I live near you in Nuneaton and have just posted a full colony for sale.
If you want to get your bees through the winter you need to feed them extremely well and im talking about 4 - 5 gallons per hive.
See my post in 2013 nucs for sale. £120
Thanks David

Last post October 2012 .... we've all done it !!!