Newbie from West Wales

[Tyler1982]

Hi just introducing myself, my name's Mathew I'm living in Carmarthen, West Wales and I'm about to embark on my first season of beekeeping, any advice for a beginner beekeeper is greatly appreciated.

Currently Have 2 National hives with deep broods, have suit, smoker etc, is there anything else I may need before I pick up my nuc once ready?

I'm a little unsure about feeders, what would you all recommend?

TIA Mathew

 

[pargyle]

Welcome ... a modicum of luck in your first year would be a bonus. Feeders ... well, you are going to get a lot of different recommendations there - Me ? I prefer 2 lltre rapid feeders - easier to handle if they leave any syrup in them, easy to fill without disturbing the bees, you don't get many drowned beed and you can still get some insulation around them above the crownboard. When you buy them stick with the same supplier - I usually get mine from Simon the Beekeeper on ebay but you can pick them up from the major beekeeping suppliers in the sales.

 

[Antipodes]

Hi Matthew,

All the best with it. It takes a while to get the hang of it all and it seems learning is very much through a collection of personal experiences.

Two colonies will be good when you can get hold of more, and even two colonies plus a nuc ...to build up experience and give you more confidence etc. Look at them regularly too, to gain knowledge. "Rapid feeders" are good.

 

[Tyler1982]

Thank you both for your advice, I am in the process of finding a mentor in my local area to gain some hands on experience and someone to guide me on my path in keeping happy and healthy bees, reading and educating myself as much as possible, just unfortunate that due to current climate I'm unable to attend any courses, will look to purchase some rapid feeders also

 

[hemo]

Often things don't go right, the apprenticeship is very long usually right until you pop your clogs.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm a little unsure about feeders, what would you all recommend?

TIA Mathew

Croeso from Cwmaman.
2 litre rapid feeders as per Pargyle are good, pretty versatile and handy for small feeds, but especially in the autumn, it's hard to beat the six litre version, known as the English feeder by some or, with C Wynne Jones, the jumbo feeder

be careful because there is another jumbo feeder which is absolutely bloody massive

 

[Tyler1982]

@jenkinsbrynmair Diolch, Thanks for that advice and for the recommendation of C Wynne Jones site, will make a purchase of that 6 litre feeder

 

[user 20297]

be careful because there is another jumbo feeder which is absolutely bloody massive

..that'll be this one then?

 

[peterpullham]

Hi Mathew carmarthen has got an active beekeeping society .I suggest you google it ,you may be lucky and have a mentor near you as at the moment no beginners classes due to COVID 19 .Peter Llanelli

 

[Tyler1982]

Thanks for that Peter, I will certainly get in touch with Carmarthen beekeeping society to try and get help and advice from a local mentor

 

[drdrday]

Welcome, Mathew!
Don't overlook this forum as another mentor too. You get a huge breadth of opinions and advice to pick and choose from and can politely (or not ) ignore the bits that don't suit you.

 

[enrico]

Hi, go to the blogs and under the authors tab put Enrico. Click on my blog. The blog was published last year in the bbka mag. May give you a few hints about what to avoid. Best of luckE

 

[jeff33]

Croeso and good luck with your 1st year. As the others said for feeder.... 2 hives, 1 nuc that's certainly what you will need for your 1st year. I would invest in a polynuc as well, unless you keep the one your nuc comes with.
You say deep broods, do you mean standard national deep or 14x12? Nucs tend to be on standard deep.

 

[Tyler1982]

@jeff33 This has crossed my mind and something I've been meaning to ask as I have 14 X 12 and like you say nice come as standard deep? What do you suggest I do? TIA Diolch

 

[Swarm]

Don't worry about it, the bees will draw out extra comb at the bottom of the frames. Make up the rest with correct size frames and gradually work the standard frames out, it's no big deal.

 

[jeff33]

As Swarm suggests but perhaps best to start from 1 end rather than putting the nuc in the middle and having them to work on 2 sides at the same time.

 

[Tyler1982]

@jeff33 Thanks for that, I notice your from Gower too, born and bred in Pennard myself but living in Carmarthen now, small world

 

[jeff33]

@jeff33 Thanks for that, I notice your from Gower too, born and bred in Pennard myself but living in Carmarthen now, small world

Well not quite, born in France but been living on Gower for 25 years I think.

 

[Cole lynch]

Get yourself some Mite Treatment kit. Eg Oxalic acid vaporiser
Ask when the nuc was treated
Good luck
I lived in Abercych & Cilgeran (Teifi Valley) & Tregaron in the good ole days