Trusting someone with your bees

[jeff33]

Just a quick question on how beeks feel about this. I have had to leave for just over 2 weeks and whilst I know quite a few beeks locally, I don't feel I can trust any of them with their ability and care to look after my stock. Perhaps I am too found of my girls or too careful?

 

[enrico]

This time of the year risk it and leave them

 

[drdrday]

I agree with Enrico. At the end of July I'd rather just do whatever I could before I went away to reassure myself and then leave them to it. I'd feel safer that way than having someone else lumbering around in the hives.

 

[user 819]

Yesterday I checked up on my bees, I last properly looked at them 13 days ago. With the very poor/changeable weather I previously just made sure laying space and super space was available.
We are at a time of year where most should be settled and can be left without interfering to much.

One colony I wasn't sure about, I had been running QX less but had inserted one as she was still wandering too much. I left her with a BB and two supers below the QX and above an uncapped backfilled BB and three supers. On checking yesterday the BB super not yet capped but filling up two supers filled and capped and one empty, below the QX BB with 8 frames of brood, next super completely capped honey and the next super fully laid up with brood, so much for a barrier stopping her. She is a new laying Q and have yet to set my eyes on her.

 

[jeff33]

Thanks all. Perhaps i didn't phrase it properly, I wanted to see if others feel like me ie very reluctant to trust anyone else with their bees or if it's a case of being unlucky with mostly having 'sunday beekeepers' around me!!

 

[Ian123]

Thanks all. Perhaps i didn't phrase it properly, I wanted to see if others feel like me ie very reluctant to trust anyone else with their bees or if it's a case of being unlucky with mostly having 'sunday beekeepers' around me!!

There’s people I’d trust with my 6 year old before the bees to be fair

 

[Patrick1]

Just a quick question on how beeks feel about this. I have had to leave for just over 2 weeks and whilst I know quite a few beeks locally, I don't feel I can trust any of them with their ability and care to look after my stock. Perhaps I am too found of my girls or too careful?

It is sad reflection on beekeepers when we feel we cannot trust another beekeeper just to mind our bees for a short period, personally I holiday during the winter.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There’s people I’d trust with my 6 year old before the bees to be fair

And I would rather trust my bees to a six year old than some purported beekeepers that are kicking around

 

[user 819]

I trust nobody.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I trust nobody.

I know how you feel. I don’t trust myself half the time

 

[jeff33]

Glad I am not the only one then!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well I was lucky when I went to Lesotho for three months, It was early season so I thought I'd risk it but @REDWOOD kindly volunteered to keep an eye on them

1. I did/do trust him
2. He did a fantastic job, not only did he 'keep an eye' on them but he did thorough spring inspections and even sent me reports on their progress.

 

[Newbeeneil]

This time of year, two years ago, I had to go into hospital just when I was geared up to extract. I rang a mate in my local BKA who said "don't worry, we will sort it" and they did! Extracted about 40 hives using my honey room and they didn't want a penny! I'd trust all three of them with my hives.
One day I hope to return the favour.

 

[oliver90owner]

Extracted about 40 hives using my honey room and they didn't want a penny!

Your hives or theirs?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Extracted about 40 hives using my honey room and they didn't want a penny!

Your hives or theirs?

Mine.

 

[Hux70]

Having witnessed how a swarm collector handled my 1st hive and bees, and ripped someone off with a rotten hive that was fit for the bonfire, and tried to con me out of the honey in my hive a few days after I got it I am very reluctant to trust anybody. Not a great start to the world of beekeeping or the fact that the bees were right b@$%#!ds and would sting me at any opportunity...... .and that I react quite badly!

 

[Patrick1]

Unfortunately too many associations set up new beekeepers with swarms, they are an unknown quantity, the same thing happened to me. A verry senior member of the BBKA sold me two hives and supplied me with twos warms for them, like you they were just awful to deal with, luckily one died over the winter and the second swarmed in the spring. I have never collected and will never collect swarms.
Moved onto Langstroth and started again, many happy days in the last nearly 20 years.

 

[jeff33]

Well I was lucky when I went to Lesotho for three months, It was early season so I thought I'd risk it but @REDWOOD kindly volunteered to keep an eye on them

1. I did/do trust him
2. He did a fantastic job, not only did he 'keep an eye' on them but he did thorough spring inspections and even sent me reports on their progress.

You will have to give me @REDWOOD number Emyr!!