Newbies.

[Tombee]

Hi.

Can we not have a newbie to beekeeping section on this forum please? I am thinking of keeping some bees on my Landshare plots, just north of Inverness. I just want to make use of all the apple/pear/plum blossom, and heather and other stuff, including pollination of my beans and other veggies. Only because honey is the only sweet stuff I eat. There are plenty of bumbles around and a few honey bees from somewhere.

How do I start (next year obviously)? What hive? Where from? Where do I get bees? So many questions I need answers.

Thanks for your attention.

Tom

 

[Floyd]

Tom

I reside in Wester Ross and have found the local Dingwall (although on the other side of Scotland) Beekeeping Association very helpful. They have put me in contact with a local Keeper who is splitting her hive with me very soon.

Depending on where you are you may find that the Moray or Inverness association is best for you.

I cant offer any advise since losing my first bees over winter, but if you want to say hello please do.

However I must say that this is definatly the correct forum to be asking questions!


Lee

 

[Polyanwood]

Newbees are very welcome.

Thre great thing about the forum is that you will get a quick answer. Or you might get a number of quick answers, all slightly different, which used to drive me crackers when I was more new, but I now realise is part of the fun.

 

[anniebee]

Hi Tom, I'm a newbee too. I was merrily attending courses, going to BKA meetings and attending hive openings, when suddenly the opportunity to purchase a full colony came up. It's been somewhat terrifying to take possession of a full colony and see them boil up out of the hive on first opening.

I'm lucky to have two excellent mentors locally from my BKA who have been helping me, I will have loads of questions too so I'm glad to hear I can ask away.

I was on another forum and they kept telling newbies to do a search or to google. I didn't like to ask questions after that, so very glad to find this place

 

[BKF Admin]

I was on another forum and they kept telling newbies to do a search or to google. I didn't like to ask questions after that, so very glad to find this place

Thats one of the many reasons we started this forum

Ask away,no question is to silly,we all started at the begining once.

 

[JCBrum]

Thats one of the many reasons we started this forum

Ask away,no question is to silly,we all started at the begining once.

Hmmm, some of us have to start at the beginning more than once.

I wanted to start beekeeping 30 yrs ago, I still have the 'Taylors of Welwyn' catalogue somewhere.

Work, kids, house-buying, and fortune-hunting all got in the way.

Now, beginners mistakes are still an obstacle.

But I'm making progress, (with hopefully, a better class of mistakes).

JC.

 

[JCBrum]

oops ! it was 35 yrs ago !

JC.

 

[BKF Admin]

JC I am suprised at the number of people that are starting beekeeping for the first time after setting the wheels in motion a lifetime ago,we have a fair number on the forum.

 

[anniebee]

Oh good, it wasn't just me then

This is a 30 year old dream realised for me. Grandad kept 5 hives when I was little and I always wanted to keep bees too. Million reasons not to year after year, now is as good a time as any.

Old Grandad would be both proud to see his granddaughter carrying on the tradition and mortified at my hamfistedness!

 

[Tombee]

First of all Hello.

Landshare land I have is near Ardross, just a wee bit from Alness. So, am in Easter Ross area. Thanks guys and gals. Just found Dingwall area's bee society's number.

 

[nel]

Hi,
I am new too. I have ben thinking about getting bees for a while now but finally my hubby is keen too. We live in staffordshire near stafford. I have e mailed to ask to become a member of local association.
So How do I begin? I don't have any kit or any idea how to start! I think I will be reading this forum a lot!
Thanks for any help.
Helen

 

[Nellie]

While you might well have missed your local association's beginner's course this year the vast majority keep their own apiaries and run apiary days which you should be able to attend. This should give you an opportunity to talk to some local beekeepers, see what is involved and get a chance to get some experience handling bees in the meantime. I think ours welcome new guys on the next available one and might then suggest the lowest level of membership which is about £5 for the year to be able to keep attending the sessions.

Ours provide all the gear that you need so you don't have, in the short term, to spend anything to go and at least get a taste of beekeeping.

Not for me to suggest whether these in conjunction with a book or two would be sufficient to take the plunge with bees of your own this year, but even so I would still recommend the beginners course, ours was excellent.

In short I'd contact the secretary of your local association.

 

[nel]

Ok. I will do that. Thanks

 

[planbee]

Helen,

Link to South Staffs Beekeepers here

http://southstaffsbeekeepers.co.uk/contacts.html

There is, or was, a Stafford Bee Group, but I don't have a link to them, they might have amalgamated with the South Staffs.

I'm in Stone, 3 hives, but no bees yet, getting some on Tuesday.

Kept 'em about twelve years ago, but only for one season.

My Email is sameagle@hotmail dot co dot uk [replace dots with dots!]

John

 

[nel]

Thanks for that John. I live near Stone - Chebsey. I reckon you can expect to hear from me soon!
I have e mailed the chap at the beekeepers assoc asking for application form for membership so I am getting going now!

 

[Geoff]

When i decided to take up beekeeping I felt there were two things I had to find out
1) How would I react to a sting? I did not go looking for one but I felt that if i had a really severe reaction then it might make beekeeping a bit diificult. I got my first sting at the association apiary, picking up a frame and a few more weeks later - no probs.
2) Could I cope with a big hive of bees? Some people are intimidated by them, cause lets face it they are dangerous if handled incorrectly. I found out I was never happier than with my head in a hive. I have now bought a glass quilt so i can look at them without being a bl.......dy nuisance to the bees. One beginner who had bought all the gear could not cope with a mass of feisty bees and we never saw him again - but he had spent a lot on gear before he found out that fact.
Read up. It makes it twice as relevent if you have read the book when you go to meetings. i was amazed at how little some knew about bees and they already had a couple of hives. I got "Bees at the bottom of the garden" first and then got Ted Hooper's "Guide to Bees and Honey" when I wanted a bit more detail. And I ask stupid questions at my local association and on here - they are bit less stuffy on here and don't take themselves too seriously, unlike some places on the Internet.

 

[Nellie]

One beginner who had bought all the gear could not cope with a mass of feisty bees and we never saw him again - but he had spent a lot on gear before he found out that fact.

Definitely, definitely second this, try before you buy, especially if you're thinking of shelling out a few hundred pounds on kit, the rest of us love a bargain and you wont get much for your "second hand" kit, even if it is still in the packaging. The first time I saw the association hives in comparison to mine I was actually pretty shocked, was a real "holy s**t!" moment, fortunately I'm with Geoff, I was hooked even more.

 

[Bucks_Boy]

Geoff

Treat yourself to an Apidea or two --- instead of destroying all those queen cells when the little b*****s try to swarm, raise a couple of spare queens "just in case" -- you can get your bee fix just popping the lid off and watching them through the clear plastic coverboard ( not for long, remember temperature) -- I ration myself to check one each night when I get home from work !! ( I have 4 on the go ).
If you get too many queens, there are always people who need a queen in a hurry....

 

[VEG]

I dont think you will have any problems getting rid of any mated queens, you will probably have a waiting list.