Selling up!

[For want of a better word]

Yes sorry to read you are giving up. I'll PM you but just joined the forum and I'm very new to Bees but was wondering if any of your equipment might be good for a beginner?

Regards

Polly hives are very good for beginners... I use BeeHiveSupplies in Cornwall as the units are made in the UK and the roofs etc are of high density and do not split ... like the other manufacturers stuff I have used.

Today you will be spoiled for choice, but if you want a Lanfstroths set up I quite like the Apimaye? clip together system... although I do not think I could afford 100 of them!!

Mytten da

 

[MJB]

Polly hives are very good for beginners... I use BeeHiveSupplies in Cornwall as the units are made in the UK and the roofs etc are of high density and do not split ... like the other manufacturers stuff I have used.

Today you will be spoiled for choice, but if you want a Lanfstroths set up I quite like the Apimaye? clip together system... although I do not think I could afford 100 of them!!

Mytten da

Many thanks . When I get to the stage I think I'll start small ( if you can) I liked the concept of the top bar hive, no reasoning as to why just thought it looked like a nice starter setup.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I liked the concept of the top bar hive, no reasoning as to why just thought it looked like a nice starter setup.

Definitely not a hive for a beginner. if you're determined to go down the TBH route - get a conventional frame hive first so you can get in there all the time, learn about bees then go for a top bar (if you still haven't seen sense )

 

[Fatbee]

Definitely not a hive for a beginner. if you're determined to go down the TBH route - get a conventional frame hive first so you can get in there all the time, learn about bees then go for a top bar (if you still haven't seen sense )

Yep agreed - my tbh is still very much at the experimental phase. Framed hives much easier.

If you want the supposed 'more natural approach' you can in conventional - foundationless, no queen excluder etc. if it's just a hobby tinker about - the bees will teach you

 

[MJB]

Yep agreed - my tbh is still very much at the experimental phase. Framed hives much easier.

If you want the supposed 'more natural approach' you can in conventional - foundationless, no queen excluder etc. if it's just a hobby tinker about - the bees will teach you

Like the idea of the more natural approach to start...what would be required here? Is it a case of putting a hive up and the bees will find and use it ?

Every site I look at which sells hives is daunting! So many options

 

[birdsandbees]

If you just want the bees to use your choice of set up rather than having to accomodate frames or top bars of someone else's design, you can either collect/attract a swarm or there are one or two suppliers in the UK that will do packages of bees, not unlike a swarm in that they come with no frames.
BTW I started with a Kenyan style top bar, still have it and it has a much stronger more developed colony in it than in my Framed hives at the moment, also, having a top bar teaches you to be careful and considerate when working with the hive where as the robust nature of framed hives can lead to many squished bees and maybe even the Queen!

 

[Poly Hive]

As an avid advocate of poly hives (good quality ones that is) I have to express an opinion on Top Bar. Not for me boys and girls. I prefer my bees to have the best possible conditions.

PH

 

[Fatbee]

Like the idea of ethe more natural approach to start...what would be required here? Is it a case of putting a hive up and the bees will find and use it ?

Every site I look at which sells hives is daunting! So many options

They may find it if you attract a swarm but not guaranteed. I started with a national nuc and once settled in with handling have then tinkered about. My advice is to start and get to grips with conventional approaches and see where it takes you.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Like the idea of the more natural approach to start...

You're putting bees into a box - regardless of size, shape material or colour. Nothing natural in that.

 

[pargyle]

I think (thanks to PH) that you are all barking at someone who was last seen here on 5th April !!!