Lets look ahead.

[Skyhook]

3. Pick up as many swarms as possible.
Ben P

Ron Brown seems to consider swarms not worth the hassle- often as not they have swarmed because they're swarmy bees. Has anyone else found this?

PS Ben- I approve of all the rest, including

Oh, and hopefully fit in some time to study for and pass my GCSE's!!!

 

[Cazza]

Ron Brown seems to consider swarms not worth the hassle- often as not they have swarmed because they're swarmy bees. Has anyone else found this?

NO! Some of my best bees have been from swarms.

(Good luck with GCSE's)

My plans include:
Reduce hives back to five.
Play with new polyhive.

Cazza

 

[Poly Hive]

My swarm this year, the one I had arrive in the garden bait box turned out when they got up to strength to be very bad tempered indeeed, and were duly re-queened, so swarms are a gamble.

PH

 

[Vergilius]

Ron Brown seems to consider swarms not worth the hassle- often as not they have swarmed because they're swarmy bees. Has anyone else found this?

Decide this after you get some experience with them.

Ben P

 

[iball]

2011 will be my first full year, taking 3 colonies through this winter so:

1. Get all three colonies into next year.
2. Put one onto double brood, one onto 14x12 (T's sale stuff arrived yesterday), leave last one on standard commercial.
3. Ensure that the varroa management regime allows me to take advantage of late Balsam crop. (No Apiguard this year if possible.
4. Get some honey.
5. Enjoy the bees.

Ian

 

[oliver90owner]

As usual, ISP disappeared, so this is half an hour late!

Ron Brown

Whoever he is, is wrong - unless simply a personal opinion.

If funds are limited, or the beekeeper is careful with his funds, swarms can be a good thing. Apart from the 'unknowns' of such a colony - health, age of queen, traits - there is little to lose. The colony will build wax very quickly, initially; varroa can be reduced to a minimum effectively and easily in the 'season' and they can be incredibly cheap.

Swarm collection can be a pain (bumbles and wasps, access, distance, timing), but bait hives require little attention after setting up.

Lastly the queen can be replaced soon after, so the traits can be redirected, even before the keeper knows all of them!

So, in my view, swarms can be a valuable asset, but everyone to their own. I have found them all of the above, but that would not stop me collecting a good prime swarm.

Regards, RAB

 

[MrB]

increase to 2 or 3 colonies, LEARN FROM THIS YEAR.

 

[blackbrood]

Ron Brown seems to consider swarms not worth the hassle- often as not they have swarmed because they're swarmy bees. Has anyone else found this?

even though this is my first year, I would strongly disagree with mr brown. I have 2 swarm colonies (1mid season and 1 late) if they turn out bad next year then a new queen will be acquired at £20 a piece from an associate and then 6weeks later it turns in to a good colony. simples.

Good luck to you and Ben with the exams.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Expand from 2 to 3 colonies
Move to 14x12s
Discover the wonderworld of a) nucs, b) poly
Do my basic
Help with introducing beginners
Try not to post on here without considering what I'm going to say
Try not to damage my bees too much
Try a shook swarm
Get better at carpentry, well constructing flat packs anyway.
Produce enough honey to start to justify new 9 frame spinner


PANIC LESS

 

[drstitson]

next year

get a honey harvest - have actually bought more honey this year (my first year beekeeping) than in the previous 41 years!!!

requeen my "nasty" UK hive

knock up some MB style queen traps to reduce chance of losing any swarms

 

[MJBee]

As soon as the temperature in my garage/workshop gets above zero convert another 3 National broods to 14x12 (done one already), then:-

transfer my 2 Double Brood Nationals and 2 single brood Nationals into 14x12.

Transfer 4 colonies to a new out apiary I am currently negotiating for.

Keep a better grip on Swarm control and Varroa control

Raise up to 12 Queens as early in the season as the weather permits, for own and other beeks use.

Finally try and get my 1 Dadant hive to produce a Nuc to get a French beekeeper started again - He has learnt the hard way that you cannot ignore varroa.

 

[Vergilius]

Oh, and hopefully fit in some time to study for and pass my GCSE's!!!

Are you doing GCSE's as well Skyhook?


Ben P

 

[Rosti]

Primary objective: Keep this as an enjoyable hobby rather than a burden! - so maintain 4 hives maximum going into next winter however many I have to combine come autumn!

• Build my x2 extra 'budget' OMFs, 14x12 broods and Roofs ready for spring and swarm control (ran out of bits this year).
• Replace the badly (home built/bodged) lids to two of my miller feeders so they fit properly and the feeders dont fill up with wasps again!
• Administer oxalic on boxing day (for bees) sloe gin (for beek)
• Honey / protein / pollen patties on 2nd week March subject to weather
• Swarm control as required
• Have registered my self as a swarm catching service for York so see what happens there
• Grab a couple of swarms (bait hives - 5/5 success last season) and combine with weak colonies if deemed necessary
• 2 hives will require queen replacement - probably use de-marie method since went well last year.
• Perhaps have a go at a couple of nucs this year (worth more than honey - pay for my spare hive parts?)
• Normal varroa monitoring and comb replacement
• End May harvest 'rape'/early honey
• Sell from door since went well last year
• 'August' at some point harvest main honey crop
• Sell from door again
• Prep for winter / varroa etc.
  
• Enjoy the challenge of the things that just happen - because the girls have been very unreasonable and have refused to sign a contract agreeing to all this!
  

Keep reminding self that I only want 4 hives to over winter!

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Primary objective: Keep this as an enjoyable hobby rather than a burden!

Its very easy to make lists, but as "we" keep saying the bees dont make the same lists!

When you are dripping with sweet in Mid june, rushing around making frames, swarm control and just keeping up with them...but then times like this alow you to think about the HOBBY (which it is to 90% of us)

Just enjoy is my list!

 

[Queens59]

Ooops = forgot! Buld 1 maisemore National, 14x12 WBC BB, paint new Belgian WBC (a bit odd, but should be OK), build new flat nat. stand I ordered yesterday and try to make stand for the WBC...and frames, lots and lots of frames...

 

[Skyhook]

Are you doing GCSE's as well Skyhook?

Ben P

Not sure GCSEs were invented when I left school!

 

[Skyhook]

As usual, ISP disappeared, so this is half an hour late!

Ron Brown

Whoever he is, is wrong - unless simply a personal opinion.

So, in my view, swarms can be a valuable asset, but everyone to their own. I have found them all of the above, but that would not stop me collecting a good prime swarm.

Regards, RAB

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beekeeping-Seasonal-Guide-Ron-Brown/dp/1906388970/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291471437&sr=1-3[/ame]

His opinion seems to be in the minority- but based on quite a bit of experience. I guess if all else fails you can re-queen a swarm, and get a new colony for £30 instead of £120.

 

[oliver90owner]

£30

What? £30? What's wrong with 'grow your own'? Has worked for me this last ten years.

Regards, RAB

 

[drstitson]

"What's wrong with 'grow your own'? Has worked for me this last ten years."

fully agree BUT...

...if all you have is ONE bad tempered swarm then it'll cost you £25-30 to requeen UNLESS you have a friendly local beek/association who can provide a spare friendly queen.

 

[oliver90owner]

who can provide a spare friendly queen.

What's wrong with a frame with eggs? It would do just as well!

I don't particularly bother if they are a bit feisty, but time is always on your side - you have the colony so don't have to jump around immediately to change the queen.

I would likely change her before the end of the season (age), but I like to see what her other traits are like before considering whether to remove her genes from the pool.

Regards, RAB