I've been helping my friend with his bees for about a year now and i'm about to start a course to get to know people with the same interest. I'm about to buy my first hive but my friend said that I shouldn't buy a big hive, I have to buy a small hive to get the colony started. Is this right or can I just buy a big hive and let colony get bigger on its own?
New Starter
- Thread starter Rustybees
- Start date
Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:
REDWOOD
Queen Bee
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2009
- Messages
- 8,381
- Reaction score
- 93
- Location
- swansea south wales
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 10
You can buy a standard hive and use dummy boards
REDWOOD
Queen Bee
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2009
- Messages
- 8,381
- Reaction score
- 93
- Location
- swansea south wales
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 10
Sorry, welcome to the forum
Luminos
Queen Bee
- Joined
- May 27, 2011
- Messages
- 3,621
- Reaction score
- 2
- Location
- Limousin, France
- Hive Type
- WBC
- Number of Hives
- Less than 100. Er, 6, actually...
village girl
House Bee
- Joined
- May 26, 2012
- Messages
- 271
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- north of norwich
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 3
hi and welcome. If you ask on your corse they will give you advice on what type of hive . I started last year with a small cast and a british natonal hive, and they are doing fine, I don't think it is nessasery to start off with a small hive (nuc). costs. Quickly mount when first starting out so I would read up on what you actualy NEED
Good luck
Good luck
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2012
- Messages
- 2,946
- Reaction score
- 1,405
- Location
- Suffolk
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 8
The colony would hopefully quickly outgrow a 'small hive' (do you mean a 'nuc' =nucleus hive?) so buy a normal-size hive. You will need to choose what design e.g. National, Langstroth etc - probably the design other local beekeepers use. Good to attend a beginner's course, also browse on-line catalogues of equipment suppliers and buy a good text book e. Ted Hooper's 'Bees & Honey'. Best of luck!
busybee53
Field Bee
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2011
- Messages
- 690
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- essex
- Hive Type
- None
- Number of Hives
- none now
Yes welcome rustybees.
Perhaps your friend meant you to buy a nucleus which is a smaller number of bees contained in a smaller box. Five frames is usual and is quite a good size to start with. The idea is that your confidence will grow along with the number of bees. This does mean more expense when you need a full size hive though.
The friend you have been helping should be able to show you how to use a full size hive to begin with and how to use the dummy board while there are only a nucleus worth of bees living there.
Good luck.
Perhaps your friend meant you to buy a nucleus which is a smaller number of bees contained in a smaller box. Five frames is usual and is quite a good size to start with. The idea is that your confidence will grow along with the number of bees. This does mean more expense when you need a full size hive though.
The friend you have been helping should be able to show you how to use a full size hive to begin with and how to use the dummy board while there are only a nucleus worth of bees living there.
Good luck.
A 'small' hive is probably a nucleus box? You will use it more than a couple of times, that's for sure.
biglongdarren
Drone Bee
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2010
- Messages
- 1,057
- Reaction score
- 40
- Location
- Mourne mountains
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 20+
Welcome aboard rusty and all the best in your new venture,you'll love it.
Darren
Darren
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2012
- Messages
- 2,946
- Reaction score
- 1,405
- Location
- Suffolk
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 8
Thank you all, really helpful. Just ordered the ted hooper book and yes I did mean an NUC, but i think im just going to buy a big hive and use dummy boards, thanks for your help again,
I forgot to suggest you join British Beekeepers Association - gives you 3rd party cover in case someone passing your apiary drops dead after getting stung (by the by, site your hive carefully). Its Beecraft mag is a good read. Also, if you have funds, I always suggest running more than one hive. If your only colony dies you've lost your hobby for maybe months. Last advice: a good all-in-one bee suit.
itma
Queen Bee
Thank you all, really helpful. Just ordered the ted hooper book and yes I did mean an NUC, but i think im just going to buy a big hive and use dummy boards, thanks for your help again,
Rusty - no need to get a hive for a month or two yet.
And as said above, running two colonies is much more sustainable than one.
You will also need spare kit - at minimum sufficient to be a temporary extra hive. You'll learn more about this on your beginners' course. Even a spare 'nuc' is better than nothing. For now don't make the mistake of thinking that a hive package is 'it'. Not so. Even to stay as a 'one hive owner'.
You may also find that your local association has a loan scheme for beginners. Failing that, it could provide some pals to help you out.
beeno
Queen Bee
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2011
- Messages
- 5,181
- Reaction score
- 234
- Location
- South East
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 5
Hi and welcome Rustybees,
Do correct me if I am wrong, but beeks usually mean bees when they talk nucs. So, my question is what are you going to put into the hive? Are you buying the bees five frames, getting a swarm or is your friend setting you up with a couple of seams of bees for the bees to make their own queen? If you are getting a swarm it won't stay in a five frame nuc for long and if it is only a couple of seams of bees even a dummied hive is often too big in my opinion. If you are a beginner I suggest you get a swarm. At least you will only have spent out on the equipment if you loose it which is a common occurrence! Best of luck and enjoy.
Do correct me if I am wrong, but beeks usually mean bees when they talk nucs. So, my question is what are you going to put into the hive? Are you buying the bees five frames, getting a swarm or is your friend setting you up with a couple of seams of bees for the bees to make their own queen? If you are getting a swarm it won't stay in a five frame nuc for long and if it is only a couple of seams of bees even a dummied hive is often too big in my opinion. If you are a beginner I suggest you get a swarm. At least you will only have spent out on the equipment if you loose it which is a common occurrence! Best of luck and enjoy.
theeggman
Drone Bee
- Joined
- May 9, 2011
- Messages
- 1,199
- Reaction score
- 3
- Location
- Okehampton,Devon
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 2 Cedar + 5 Poly
Hi and Welcome Rustybees.
"I forgot to suggest you join British Beekeepers Association - gives you 3rd party cover in case someone passing your apiary drops dead after getting stung (by the by, site your hive carefully). Its Beecraft mag is a good read."
Sorry to be pedantic, but to avoid confusion for a Newbee the BBKA mag is BBKA News which is free with membership and Beecraft is a paid for publication. Both mags are worth reading.
Tim
"I forgot to suggest you join British Beekeepers Association - gives you 3rd party cover in case someone passing your apiary drops dead after getting stung (by the by, site your hive carefully). Its Beecraft mag is a good read."
Sorry to be pedantic, but to avoid confusion for a Newbee the BBKA mag is BBKA News which is free with membership and Beecraft is a paid for publication. Both mags are worth reading.
Tim
itma
Queen Bee
And to avoid more confusion, membership of your local association is the normal way people would join BBKA.
Having plural local beekeeping contacts is very helpful.
Associations also have other member benefits, like honey-extractor hire.
Having plural local beekeeping contacts is very helpful.
Associations also have other member benefits, like honey-extractor hire.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2012
- Messages
- 2,946
- Reaction score
- 1,405
- Location
- Suffolk
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 8
Sir Quej
House Bee
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2012
- Messages
- 222
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Leeds
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 3 (hopefully)
Hi Rusty
Welcome to the Forum and to bee keeping. This is my first year but I can tell you you will love the hobby and hate it in equal amounts.....
I loved working with the bees in summer but the winter period has been nothing but worry, worry and little more worry.
As a newbie, the only advice I can offer you is keep coming on this forum. I have found the advice from some of the more experienced beeks on here to be invaluable to be honest. There is always someone willing to help (and abuse) you, when you come up against something that you cant sort out yourself.
Also, definately join your local association and network as much as possible. Its always nice to have someone local who can come and look at your hives if needed, even if just to put your mind at ease.
Good luck with your bees and have fun....
Welcome to the Forum and to bee keeping. This is my first year but I can tell you you will love the hobby and hate it in equal amounts.....
I loved working with the bees in summer but the winter period has been nothing but worry, worry and little more worry.
As a newbie, the only advice I can offer you is keep coming on this forum. I have found the advice from some of the more experienced beeks on here to be invaluable to be honest. There is always someone willing to help (and abuse) you, when you come up against something that you cant sort out yourself.
Also, definately join your local association and network as much as possible. Its always nice to have someone local who can come and look at your hives if needed, even if just to put your mind at ease.
Good luck with your bees and have fun....
