Latest time to buy bees

[James McAllister]

Hi I am a new beekeeper who has not been able to purchase bees so far this year. I live in the Costa Blanca in Spain where our winters are very mild (no frost). Because of travel etc I will now not be considering purchasing bees till early August. Is this too late to start a hive or should I wait till next Spring?

 

[user 819]

Spring.

 

[user 819]

As a new beek with no bees then Autumn in to Winter is a risk, leading to a greater chance of colony failure for the new keeper. This time of year is more crucial for the colony survivalto take them in to spring.
Forage dwindles here in the UK we do get nice ivy late flows if the weather is mild in to early December, other wise if stores are light come October we supplement feed.
I would wait until spring , do you have a seller lined up who will supply a colony or nucleus ?

 

[Antipodes]

Hi I am a new beekeeper who has not been able to purchase bees so far this year. I live in the Costa Blanca in Spain where our winters are very mild (no frost). Because of travel etc I will now not be considering purchasing bees till early August. Is this too late to start a hive or should I wait till next Spring?

You sometimes get daytime temperatures in winter above 20 degrees. No frosts but some cold spells.
You could almost get queens mated all year there I would have thought. I'd just keep trying and get them when you can.

 

[Sutty]

I'd just go for it and if not much forage be prepared to feed.
You don't learn as much about beekeeping without bees!

 

[Wilco]

As per @Sutty above- your climate is milder so your annual cycle is different. I'd get them while you can, treat for varroa (potentially multiple points in year if they may not have a brood break in winter) and be prepared to feed them over winter.

 

[jeff33]

You sometimes get daytime temperatures in winter above 20 degrees. No frosts but some cold spells.
You could almost get queens mated all year there I would have thought. I'd just keep trying and get them when you can.

Yes but there is no forage in autumn/winter though and unless you know what you are doing it may be more challenging to maintain colonies in these areas?

 

[Antipodes]

Yes but there is no forage in autumn/winter though and unless you know what you are doing it may be more challenging to maintain colonies in these areas?

Yes, of course you would feed then wouldn't you? It's not that hard to feed bees. Beginner stuff.
We are right in the middle of winter here and there are so many things flowering now. It's too cold for the bees to get out, but I'm not in Alicante and it's particularly cold here at the moment. I wouldn't say that there is necessarily no forage in autumn/winter there either. Have you been there in winter?

 

[Antipodes]

Yes but there is no forage in autumn/winter though and unless you know what you are doing it may be more challenging to maintain colonies in these areas?

Just looking at the climate there. I reckon you'd have to feed them all year. It doesn't really rain there! Only 300mm for the whole year. Perhaps that's a bigger issue as in with keeping bees at all in such a place?

 

[fian]

Remember to look for a registered beekeeper and order swarms for March/June. When you go to pick them up, ask them to issue you the transfer sheet for transporting livestock material.
While you process your registration at your nearest rural regional office and keep in mind that the minimum distance to any existing population center or farm is 400 m, which can be reduced to 75 m if the fence bordering the apiary is more than 2 m high. . In any case, the local office will inform you of all these conditions.

 

[Antipodes]

Remember to look for a registered beekeeper and order swarms for March/June. When you go to pick them up, ask them to issue you the transfer sheet for transporting livestock material.
While you process your registration at your nearest rural regional office and keep in mind that the minimum distance to any existing population center or farm is 400 m, which can be reduced to 75 m if the fence bordering the apiary is more than 2 m high. . In any case, the local office will inform you of all these conditions.

Do you know that area down there at all Fian? Would there be much forage?

 

[fian]

Do you know that area down there at all Fian? Would there be much forage?

You shouldn't have any problems collecting some honey, although the main flow will be citrus (orange, lemon).
From where I live it is a good 800 km. It is the driest and warmest climate in Spain, so I would not hesitate to install a water trough in the apiary itself to facilitate the bees' access to water. The velutina has not yet reached the Spanish Mediterranean so its biggest concern is varroa.

 

[Antipodes]

You shouldn't have any problems collecting some honey, although the main flow will be citrus (orange, lemon).
From where I live it is a good 800 km. It is the driest and warmest climate in Spain, so I would not hesitate to install a water trough in the apiary itself to facilitate the bees' access to water. The velutina has not yet reached the Spanish Mediterranean so its biggest concern is varroa.

Excellent. Of course, oranges in the Valencian region.
Google earth shows lots of crops and fruits around that town.

 

[James McAllister]

Hi I am a new beekeeper who has not been able to purchase bees so far this year. I live in the Costa Blanca in Spain where our winters are very mild (no frost). Because of travel etc I will now not be considering purchasing bees till early August. Is this too late to start a hive or should I wait till next Spring?

Thank you to everyone who has replied to this, post. I have found all of your answers helpful and informative.

 

[user 819]

As we have seen James has to travel to collect his bees and not knowing the area for it's forage availabilty or pollen, then spring may be better. Unlike the UK one doesn't need to go very far at all for bees or for them to forage. Pollen and nectar generally here is pretty much abundant form March to Novemeber even in to December if mild.
I'm erring on spring as simply I don't know the locale and it forage , the climate I have guessed is milder but that doesn't mean forage is available in winter if the locale is dry and arid.

 

[Yulia]

Hi all,
Asking kindly for an advise please - there is an opportunity to buy a NUC (6 or 12 frames) now and there is a ready hive, and we would like to understand the risks for bees associated with this late start in Aug. Of course it is understood that the spring is better , however we worried that the circumstances may change in half a year and we wont have this opportunity again, thus would love to start beekeeping now rather than later - but would like to understand all pros and cons, located in the UK. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Many thanks in advance.

 

[madasafish]

Hi all,
Asking kindly for an advise please - there is an opportunity to buy a NUC (6 or 12 frames) now and there is a ready hive, and we would like to understand the risks for bees associated with this late start in Aug. Of course it is understood that the spring is better , however we worried that the circumstances may change in half a year and we wont have this opportunity again, thus would love to start beekeeping now rather than later - but would like to understand all pros and cons, located in the UK. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Many thanks in advance.

Quite simply:
You know nothing about beekeeping: Winter is the hardest time of the year for bees. Bee numbers are falling. One mistake by you - accidentally killing the queen - could end up killing the colony. (Where do you gt a new Queen in December?)
In Spring, bees expand, there is an abundance of food, spare Qs are available. One mistake by you is unlikely to kill the colony.

 

[Yulia]

Thank you Madasafish, thanks, fair point!

 

[Sutty]

Flip side: 12 frames is a full hive, you can buy them, watch how much they are storing, maybe add another box if needed, and start keeping bees.
Becoming a beekeeper requires bees!
Depends a bit on likely flows in your area.

 

[Yulia]

..need bees and a brave heart!
I was reading about beekeeping for the last 2 months, watching videos, done 1-day training course, signed in with local beek association and planning to attend a proper course this winter, and now when the opportunity came - I feel very excited though trying to understand the rationale/ risks behind,
thanks Sutty for your comment,
Of course, we may make lots of mistakes but there still will be more what we have learnt.. I hope