Light touch management

[Beagle23]

When I set up my hive in April 2016 my intention was to leave the colony to themselves as much as possible, with a couple of inspections a year and feeding them over the winter.
Then, as I became more engrossed in the hobby my visits to the hive became more frequent. But now I'm thinking of backing off again.
My initial intention was just to do something to help out honey bees after reading about the problems they face. I have a perfect spot under a cherry tree in my garden for a hive, and it's proved to be a success...so far.

I know I should be opening the brood box regularly to checks for QCs and a myriad of other things, but I'm also inclined to just leave them to it.
I do intend to take some honey, but just a dozen or so jars for friends or family (the bees are already filling their third super of the year).

My only concern really is swarming. If the bees are ready to go then that's fine, I'm all for nature working as it should. But I'm also concerned about the possibility of neighbours being affected by the settling swarm.

So should I be opening the brood box weekly and trying to manage the swarm process, or would leaving the bees to it be irresponsible?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

When I set up my hive in April 2016 my intention was to leave the colony to themselves as much as possible, with a couple of inspections a year and feeding them over the winter.
Then, as I became more engrossed in the hobby my visits to the hive became more frequent. But now I'm thinking of backing off again.
My initial intention was just to do something to help out honey bees after reading about the problems they face. I have a perfect spot under a cherry tree in my garden for a hive, and it's proved to be a success...so far.

I know I should be opening the brood box regularly to checks for QCs and a myriad of other things, but I'm also inclined to just leave them to it.
I do intend to take some honey, but just a dozen or so jars for friends or family (the bees are already filling their third super of the year).

My only concern really is swarming. If the bees are ready to go then that's fine, I'm all for nature working as it should. But I'm also concerned about the possibility of neighbours being affected by the settling swarm.

So should I be opening the brood box weekly and trying to manage the swarm process, or would leaving the bees to it be irresponsible?

You know what you should be doing and the likely effects on your neighbourhood. Why bother to ask?

 

[Beagle23]

You know what you should be doing

This is the bit I'm concerned about

 

[pargyle]

So should I be opening the brood box weekly and trying to manage the swarm process, or would leaving the bees to it be irresponsible?

Sorry Beagle, there's light touch and there's no touch and I'm afraid you are falling into the latter category ... yes, it's irresponsible.

I'm a light touch beekeeper - my bees are kept in as natural a state as I can manage but ... I inspect, at least every ten days during the swarm season although the interval depends upon what I am seeing generally.

You can be a light touch beekeeper but no touch is not a good idea unless you want to lose all your bees and have no neighbours within swarming distance ...

 

[Little John]

So should I be opening the brood box weekly and trying to manage the swarm process, or would leaving the bees to it be irresponsible?

Well, as already pointed out - you clearly know what the issues are here - so is it really down to other beekeepers to make that decision for you ?

There is another issue I'd like to comment on. You appear to have only one hive. When that colony swarms, as it most certainly will at some point (which I happen to think IS irresponsible - but it's not really my function in life to tell others what they should be doing) - and - with the British weather being what it is - what happens if your new queen doesn't get herself successfully mated ?

You know, it's a wise practice to have two - or even better - two and a half (with the 'half' being a nuc) colonies at minimum, in order to provide a degree of insurance against events going pear-shaped. But - if you really are stuck for space in a small garden, then perhaps just an additional nuc ...
LJ

 

[Dadnlad]

You dont say whether your hive under the cherry tree is in a surburban enviroment or backing onto a National Park

Surely you are as responsible for your bees swarming down someones chimney (or stinging neighbours at harvest time), as you are for your dog biting people in the street or your kids breaking nextdoors conservatory with their football ?

Weekly checks are a pia but necessary if you are a responsible beek imo

 

[alldigging]

Weekly checks are a pia imo

Are they?

 

[Somerford]

There is another issue I'd like to comment on. You appear to have only one hive. When that colony swarms, as it most certainly will at some point (which I happen to think IS irresponsible - .
LJ

LJ

I'd like to take issue with the above point. I don't think calling a beekeeper who has a hive and it swarms 'irresponsible'. As that would tarnish the good character and reputation of most of the Beekeeping fraternity.

Bees are programmed to attempt to swarm. We intervene to try and prevent it but going on the number of swarms I get called to, and the number of wild colonies I know of I don't think you can lay the accusation of irresponsibility at the door of the beekeeper.

We all miss things in inspections, we all get to the hive after the event, holidays away, families, jobs all get in the way of our passion for Beekeeping at times and even professional beekeeper find some years the instinct for swarming simply can't be caught up with. It happened in the past - Manley wrote about it. Was he irresponsible ? I think not

Well done you if you never have a swarm and can get into your colonies at exactly the right time. But I'd put money in the fact you've probably had a swarm or two in your life too !

KR

Somerford

 

[Beagle23]

Leaving them to it just seems like the natural thing to do doesn't it? I dunno. I am nervous about them swarming, but then I guess if they swarm while I'm at work or away for the weekend what can I do.
I will check this afternoon and have a NUC on standby with a lure

 

[Brigsy]

I suspect it would go against the leave alone ethic, but as I am in a mainly urban environment, with some space where my bees are, I clip the queen so should I make a mistake the bees won't be a problem. If I was in a rural setting I wouldn't.

One easy way to be less of a pain.

 

[Fatbee]

but then I guess if they swarm while I'm at work or away for the weekend what can I do.

Not keep bees is one thing you could do. Although, letting nature take its course does of course mean that you may not have bees for long - nature can be brutal and like another poster has said a failed queen due to poor mating if weather is bad soon leads to end of colony.

 

[pargyle]

Leaving them to it just seems like the natural thing to do doesn't it? I dunno. I am nervous about them swarming, but then I guess if they swarm while I'm at work or away for the weekend what can I do.
I will check this afternoon and have a NUC on standby with a lure

Leaving them to it is not keeping bees ... if you want them to be as nature intended then let them go their own way, because they will ... as soon as you put bees in a box you have a responsibility and that includes either managing their swarming instinct by pre-empting what they are doing by making an artificial swarm or being on hand when they DO swarm to catch and re-hive it. Even the Natural Beekeeping Trust catch the swarms that emanate from their hives but ... you have to be available when they do and working intereferes with this - so, your option is to learn a bit about queen cells and what to do if you find them.

Have a read of Wally Shaw's excellent pamphlet - I have queen cells in my hive - google will find it for you.

There is nothing to be fearful of in beekeeping apart from a lack of experience - and the only way to overcome that is to handle your bees and learn from what you do and see ...

Looking for queen cells from now until July is a fundamental part of keeping bees - whether or not you do anything else with them.

 

[enrico]

Tin hat time,
Every one keeps bees for own reasons in their own way. If you just want to provide a home for bees then go for it. They could just as easily be coming from your roof space. If they swarm then that is all a part of what bees do. You are merely supplying a home. I know many people who do just that. Sometimes their hives are occupied and sometimes they die out. Nothing wrong with that.
I keep bees for a different reason as do most on here, hence it is a beekeeping forum, but some are being a bit harsh I feel. I cannot account for where any swarms I lose. Where do they go? Who knows. Maybe into a convenient home like you supply. Good on you I say
E

 

[Beagle23]

Leaving them to it is not keeping bees ... if you want them to be as nature intended then let them go their own way, because they will ... as soon as you put bees in a box you have a responsibility and that includes either managing their swarming instinct by pre-empting what they are doing by making an artificial swarm or being on hand when they DO swarm to catch and re-hive it. Even the Natural Beekeeping Trust catch the swarms that emanate from their hives but ... you have to be available when they do and working intereferes with this - so, your option is to learn a bit about queen cells and what to do if you find them.

Have a read of Wally Shaw's excellent pamphlet - I have queen cells in my hive - google will find it for you.

There is nothing to be fearful of in beekeeping apart from a lack of experience - and the only way to overcome that is to handle your bees and learn from what you do and see ...

Looking for queen cells from now until July is a fundamental part of keeping bees - whether or not you do anything else with them.

Good answer

 

[Madge]

LJ

I'd like to take issue with the above point. I don't think calling a beekeeper who has a hive and it swarms 'irresponsible'. As that would tarnish the good character and reputation of most of the Beekeeping fraternity.

...

Accidental swarming can happen, and most of us have probably experienced it - but intentionally not inspecting your colonies and allowing it to happen is irresponsible (as many people have already said).

There are people who allow swarming to happen as a way of management - but they are always at home, near their colonies, and on the watch-out for signs of swarm preparations, and then catch the swarms. They are experienced beekeepers who still manage their bees.

 

[Mark Young]

You are absolutely right; the natural thing to do is leave them alone, but that's not exactly beekeeping - which is something we all love to argue about on here!

I wouldn't recommend enticing unmanaged bees into an urban built up environment with close neighbours; but unmanaged colonies living in the side of houses or in garden trees aren't exactly unheard of. There certainly isn't a lynch mob going door to door accusing the home/ land owner of being irresponsible for leaving them to it.

Whether unmanaged bees are in a House, Tree, Hive or Post Box makes absolutely no difference to the bees but I would guarantee there is some liability with regards the Hive.

 

[alldigging]

Leaving them to it just seems like the natural thing to do doesn't it? I dunno. I am nervous about them swarming, but then I guess if they swarm while I'm at work or away for the weekend what can I do.
I will check this afternoon and have a NUC on standby with a lure

If you do regular inspections you'll know when they're likely to swarm and can take steps to prevent it.

Whilst you might not be very bothered about your honey crop flying away when they swarm, your neighbours will not be as impressed.

There are some really useful booklets available here that will perhaps give you confidence to inspect and do your best to prevent swarming.
http://www.wbka.com/library/library-documents/

Swarm Control: An Apiary Guide (Wally Shaw)
There Are Queen Cells In My Hive (Wally Shaw)
Simple Methods of Making Increase (Wally Shaw)

Without wanting to sound harsh, if you don't enjoy inspecting bees then stop keeping them. Put up some bird boxes and wait for the bumblebees to arrive.

 

[For want of a better word]

Get a nice glass crownboard..... will satisfy the need to "look" at them.... watch and observe..... sometimes you will sense when things beewise are changed... all it needs is a bit of Zen !

How would you like some great giant of a buffoon filling your house with smoke every eighth day.. ripping the walls apart and fumbling around with your family with dirty great leather mittens on?.... did I say my girls????

Enjoy you bees.
Yeghes da

 

[JWF]

You are absolutely right; the natural thing to do is leave them alone, but that's not exactly beekeeping - which is something we all love to argue about on here!

I wouldn't recommend enticing unmanaged bees into an urban built up environment with close neighbours; but unmanaged colonies living in the side of houses or in garden trees aren't exactly unheard of. There certainly isn't a lynch mob going door to door accusing the home/ land owner of being irresponsible for leaving them to it.

Whether unmanaged bees are in a House, Tree, Hive or Post Box makes absolutely no difference to the bees but I would guarantee there is some liability with regards the Hive.

I agree - when one of my colonies swarmed two weeks ago, The next door neighbours, including a 5 year old, got stung, and neighbours two doors down also got stung.

If the OP thinks that's not going to cause problems where they live, they'll be fine.

In the majority of urban locations, it's asking for trouble, IMO.

 

[alfazer]

You also have a responsibility to check you bees for disease.
Disease that has potential to spread to other bee colonies in your area.