Learning the basics bee keeping

[Steveuk]

Hi All again,
as you all know i am starting bee keeping next year when the time is right, i brought a national beehive flat pack, thank god for the wife ,
patience of a saint when it came to building it, i did hold the hammer.
Any way i understand that for newbies its a minefield of information out there understanding keeping bees, is there any advice were to start, like a basic idiots guide what to read up on, i brought a recommended bee book but there is tons of info, should i read from start to finish or flit between sections, any help always appreciated here
thanks
steve

 

[russw]

join your local beekeepers association is the best advice I can give, theres always somebody to help you out.

 

[hedgerow pete]

dealing with someone on a face to face stand is so much easier to learn from, if the local asc, is not your seen try looking for a mentor instead just ask on the mentors thread, or when you are driving around and a bee hive is seen try knocking on a door or two thats how i do it

 

[Poly Hive]

Read the whole book first.

You will absorb more than you think.

You seem already to have made one of the main choices which is which hive to buy.

Is there an evening class you can go to this winter? Local Assoc or Local Authority?

Read on here, read more books, memorise the basic table of development so when you are in the bees you will have more of a handle on what you are looking at.

And of course.... read...

PH

 

[hedgerow pete]

dont buy any more books use the library they are free, if they dont have any more ask for some inter library lending request cards they are 70 pence each fill it in with details of the book you want and they will get them in for you,

on average it takes about a few weeks before they come in, unless your like me who has at the moment 39 requests on the go in that case the books you want are a little harder to get hold of and so a slower arrivel

 

[Oakbear]

Most associations do a free course for beginners, and may also assign mentors.
Books are good, but there's nothing like hands on imho.

 

[Poly Hive]

Of course Oakbear but at this time getting hands on is pretty impossible so some preparation for next season is the way to go.

PH

 

[Vergilius]

"Bees at the bootom of the garden" is a really good guide to a first year in beekeeping.


Ben P

 

[Dishmop]

I have just bought Bees at bottom of garden from Amazon. £4.28.
Nearly bought one off ebay but noticed the publication date was 1984... I assume it has been updated since then???????????

 

[oliver90owner]

Steady on, PH. It was only a 'loose conversational style of writing'.

RAB

 

[keithgrimes]

As already said -
1. Join local association
2. Find a mentor
3. Book - Guide to Bees and Honey by Ted Hooper - I doubt you'd need another for a while.
4. Haunt this forum
5. Take a look at Dave Cushman's website

 

[Vergilius]

I have just bought Bees at bottom of garden from Amazon. £4.28.
Nearly bought one off ebay but noticed the publication date was 1984... I assume it has been updated since then???????????

New section on varroa added sice then.


Ben P

 

[Dishmop]

New section on varroa added sice then.

Thought there might be.

 

[Poly Hive]

I should hope there has been, though not the greatest of books.

Dishmop I have to ask do you think Varroa are harmless?

PH

 

[Dishmop]

I should hope there has been, though not the greatest of books.

Dishmop I have to ask do you think Varroa are harmless?

PH

I think that nothing that is classed as a pest (of that type) can be totally harmless. However, even tho everybody says it kills bees, who on here can definately say that their bees died or absconded because of it? and that is the second if not third time I have said that in different threads,,,,,

again, if a colony absconds .... how do you know why????

 

[mbc]

my bees die from varroa( i think!) and untreated colonies are certainly 'pegged back' in comparison to treated colonies. I don't think any ones come up with a definitive method for determining why bees abscond though

 

[Otleybee]

I would also start to look at the source of your bees. The local association may be set up to produce nucs for beginners and they are a lot cheaper than commercial suppliers. In my view you should get bees which are suited to your local environment. My local association Wharfedale BKA supplied a nuc on 7 frames for £70. The varroa count was low and they have been a pleasure to handle.

Good luck with your beekeeping journey.

Alan

 

[oliver90owner]

if a colony absconds .... how do you know why????

Any particular colony may have more than one reason for absconding, so for a particular colony you cannot be definitive. However, when hundreds, or thousands, of exampes are studied, the statistical correlation becomes irresistable.

There will always be the odd result that bucks the trend. Maybe read the story of the structure of the atom and the discovery by RUtherford (et al)?

Simple as that.

RAB

 

[Dishmop]

However, when hundreds, or thousands, of exampes are studied, the statistical correlation becomes irresistable.

and these studies are carried out after the bees have gone????

 

[thurrock bees]

i would recommend that you do a course with the local beekeepers ass. however the courses are getting booked up very fast now. If they are booked up then work with a experienced beekeeper for a min of a year( ive done this with 3 newbies now ).