New beekeeper starting out.....

[simonforeman]

Hi all,
I have been reading loads of books and watching youtube vids for many months deciding if I wanted to try my hand at keeping bees.... My wife bought me a 2 day beekeepers course in May for Christmas. So my plans are now to go on the course, Buy a NUC of good natured bees and try my luck....

After reading loads of books and websites and also watching loads of vids I feel that I already know enough to take the plunge into beekeeping as soon as it warms up but I am going to wait until end of May after my course as I have loads of questions to ask then.

One thing I would like to do is get my hive / hives before this and get them painted and sorted before. I am going to go for the National hive and will start with 1 but look to get 2.

Does anybody often sell 2nd hand National hives on here. I have looked in the for sale but none on there.

Im sure I will be asking loads more questions on here over the coming weeks.

Many Thanks Simon

 

[Millet]

To be on the safe side regarding diseases you are better of buying your kit new and for every full colony you are better of having a spare hive and all that goes with it on stand by, i started out with three empty hives and for three season i only ever managed to keep one colony, last year in no time at all through the help of a forum member i now have three full colonies which has made be buy and make enough equipment to give me four spare hives to fall back on during the swarming season and so on, you can never have too much spare equipment at hand because when the swarming season kicks of things can happen fairly quickly and that spare equipment you have can save you loosing swarms.

Good luck by the way.

 

[Poly Hive]

If I may I'll give you the advice I have given to many starters.

Do not buy a thing until you have stood next to an open full strength colony.

Please.

Why? Well, it's all very well to get all keen on the theory but nothing prepares you for the experience of being in the middle of tens of thousands of bees.

Find out if it is truly for you first. Then dive in.

PH

 

[Millet]

If I may I'll give you the advice I have given to many starters.

Do not buy a thing until you have stood next to an open full strength colony.

Please.

Why? Well, it's all very well to get all keen on the theory but nothing prepares you for the experience of being in the middle of tens of thousands of bees.

Find out if it is truly for you first. Then dive in.

PH

Good point PH i did quite the opposite and jumped straight in with both feet, and to make matters worse i started out with bees from hell luckily for me certain things do not bother me, however it could be a whole different ball game for someone else and i have seen a few on this forum pack in keeping bees after there first season.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Good point PH i did quite the opposite and jumped straight in with both feet, and to make matters worse i started out with bees from hell luckily for me certain things do not bother me, however it could be a whole different ball game for someone else and i have seen a few on this forum pack in keeping bees after there first season.

Good thinking both of you, I I had a month with my friend first then Moved one of my grandads hives I've not done a course but have got in with the local beekeeping association.

 

[simonforeman]

Thank you for the advice Millet and Poly....

Your point Poly about standing next to a full hive does make sense... I have a work friend who has 20 hives and I have been down to his hives once when he's opened them up just observing but not taking part, You are right about it being strange first time in the middle of allot of flying bees, But good thing is it did not bother me.

So best to buy a new hive...I see there are assembled National hives on Bee equipment and they are a good price. I am looking at assembled as I want to make sure everything is square and have no issues at the start of my adventure....

So you guys know for info when I start asking loads of questions so apologise in advance... I live in south Lincolnshire in the country on a plot just under an acre.... I have an allotment plot at the bottom of the garden and will in time hope to have at least 3-4 hives over the coming seasons....

 

[Monkey]

After reading loads of books and websites and also watching loads of vids I feel that I already know enough to take the plunge into beekeeping as soon as it warms up but I am going to wait until end of May after my course as I have loads of questions to ask then.

Hi, I've been keeping bees since July last year, so am a complete beginner. I would think that 2 days tuition is only going to be a taster to see if you can cope with being around bees. There is no way they can teach you enough, in that time, to keep bees.

I'd strongly suggest you join your local beekeeping association and follow their beginners course. It will take a couple of hours per week, spread over several weeks. If it hasn't already started this year, it will be about to start, so it shouldn't be too late to enrol.

You will meet lots of other beginners, and have the benefit of being taught by very experienced beekeepers. You can swap ideas, and meet other local beekeepers who may be able to point you towards local nuc and kit suppliers. You should also get access to a mentor, who will be able to help out with any questions you have about your own bees when you get them.

Remember, it may be a hobby, but these are living creatures, and they deserve the best attention we can give them.

Good luck, it's a fascinating thing to do.

 

[drex]

Much cheaper buying flat packs. I started off with Thornes, bees on a budget hives. They go together easily and they now do good videos on the construction. They come with a crown board, made up. You can use this to make sure the boxes are square. Cedar, so are light and will last for years. As long as you can hammer a nail in straight you should not have any great problem.

 

[Millet]

Good thinking both of you, I I had a month with my friend first then Moved one of my grandads hives I've not done a course but have got in with the local beekeeping association.

I have done no courses and i am a member of no association , the only person other than me that has been near my hive is my Lady friend when i broke my arm 2yr's ago, so take anything i say with a pinch of salt as most of my practical experience is from my own learning and personal experiences, i have however been guided along this tricky path by very patient/experienced and Clever forum members, one thing to remember do NOt give in when thing start going wrong get tough and work your way around it.

 

[Millet]

Much cheaper buying flat packs. I started off with Thornes, bees on a budget hives. They go together easily and they now do good videos on the construction. They come with a crown board, made up. You can use this to make sure the boxes are square. Cedar, so are light and will last for years. As long as you can hammer a nail in straight you should not have any great problem.

the wood is cut to precision and even though they recommend checking with a set square it is not needed imo.

For the OP have you checked out the options of polyhives before you take the ceder route , i started out with wood because it looks nice but i am now starting to accumulate poly hives.

 

[simonforeman]

Thanks all for the reply's and the tips on putting hives together

On Polyhives Millet, What are the benefits on Poly V Wood.....

As I have the same opinion as your first that the Wooden hives are better looking in the garden. They will be in my allotment area so I suppose if there are benefits of poly then I will look into them....

 

[Millet]

On Polyhives Millet, What are the benefits on Poly V Wood.....

....

Insulation and they come ready made,, try here https://www.abelo.co.uk/

 

[drex]

I think poly are a little bit cheaper. I bought two in my early days, when a large national supplier started selling them. Hate them. Just prefer the aesthetics of wood. I know research shows difference in performance, but I notice little between the two types. I also enjoy constructing the flat packs, which I now get at greatly reduced price in the January sales. Even though they are seconds, they go together true and square. Out of 8 boxes I just made up, I had to use filler on two, for cosmetic rather than functional reasons

 

[Amari]

Hi all,
I have been reading loads of books and watching youtube vids for many months deciding if I wanted to try my hand at keeping bees.... My wife bought me a 2 day beekeepers course in May for Christmas. So my plans are now to go on the course, Buy a NUC of good natured bees and try my luck....
One thing I would like to do is get my hive / hives before this and get them painted and sorted before. I am going to go for the National hive and will start with 1 but look to get 2.
Does anybody often sell 2nd hand National hives on here. I have looked in the for sale but none on there.
Im sure I will be asking loads more questions on here over the coming weeks.
Many Thanks Simon

A good way to eyeball the many types of hive available is to visit Bee Tradex http://www.beetradex.co.uk on March 3rd.
Another tip: if possible start with two colonies - it adds interest to compare the two and if one colony fails you still have your hobby.
To decide between poly and wooden hives deploy the 'Search' facility on the main and beginners' Forum

 

[simonforeman]

Again.. thankyou all for the valuable info...

 

[simonforeman]

I see some of you guys are saying have at least 2 hives so if 1 is lost there is at least another to rebuild from.....

Question...

I live on the outskirts of a small village in the country. Most fields of crops last year nearby were wheat or sugarbeet (do not know what this year will bring) there allot of grass verges and dykes and fences between the field's... will i have enough forage for 2 or more hives?

I have not seen any other hives around my area....

 

[Millet]

It will be hard to tell what is on offer at this time of the year, hedgerows and a good few varieties trees can offer good forage, you will most likely have to wait til spring till you can see what you have in the area, bees can fly a considerable distance for food but the closer to the hives the better..

 

[thorn]

Insulation and they come ready made,, try here https://www.abelo.co.uk/

I concur.

 

[Amari]

I see some of you guys are saying have at least 2 hives so if 1 is lost there is at least another to rebuild from.....

Question...

I live on the outskirts of a small village in the country. Most fields of crops last year nearby were wheat or sugarbeet (do not know what this year will bring) there allot of grass verges and dykes and fences between the field's... will i have enough forage for 2 or more hives?
I have not seen any other hives around my area....

Any oilseed rape - gives the biggest crop here and many other parts of the east side of the UK?

 

[Vortex]

Any oilseed rape - gives the biggest crop here and many other parts of the east side of the UK?

Unless you get a massive dry spell and then a sharp cold snap like last year then you get sweet FA and what you do get crystalizes in the supers...