Want my garden back

[ShinySideUp]

After getting stung on my head again when nowhere near the bees and not even in their line of sight I think I want my garden back. I dont want an out-apiary and I'm getting a bit fed up of keeping them anyway.

I have four colonies plus another empty hive, at least ten supers, two nuc boxes and all the accoutrements that go with the hobby.

Since they are live colonies, not just the equipment, what is the best way of selling the whole kit and caboodle as a job lot?

I don't realty know the people in my local society. Is gumtree a realistic way?

How much should I ask for it all, none of it is more than five years old.

 

[Amari]

After getting stung on my head again when nowhere near the bees and not even in their line of sight I think I want my garden back. I dont want an out-apiary and I'm getting a bit fed up of keeping them anyway.

I have four colonies plus another empty hive, at least ten supers, two nuc boxes and all the accoutrements that go with the hobby.

Since they are live colonies, not just the equipment, what is the best way of selling the whole kit and caboodle as a job lot?

I don't realty know the people in my local society. Is gumtree a realistic way?

How much should I ask for it all, none of it is more than five years old.

That’s a shame but no point carrying on if you’re no longer enjoying it. I need to downsize by selling four colonies so I approached our local BKA newsletter to insert an advert. It was suggested to me that it’s ‘a terrible idea’ to sell at the end of the season, better to wait till spring to reassess the strength of the colonies for sale, so that’s what I’ll do.

 

[pargyle]

Gumtree will take adverts for livestock .. there's a few colonies for sale on there at present which may give you some idea of pricing but they don't seem to be moving that quickly. As has been said - it's not the best time to be selling bees as whoever takes them has the job of getting them through winter, feeding them and anything else that needs doing which rather limits your market to someone who is either desperate to keep bees and/or doesn't know much about them. It's a litte bit mean to inflict bees that have been stinging you on someone who is unsuspecting but you would need a beekeeper who is able to re-queen if you are truthful.

Either way, at this time of the year, you are going to take a hit on the price - you would get a lot more in spring and by then they may be more amenable ... the colonies will have reduced in size and you will get a premium price from people who will know what a good colony in spring is worth in honey crop.

I completely understand how you feel - there's nothing much more unpleasant that being chased by bees trying to sting you in your own garden ... Can you put some high mesh screens round them to get them well up in the air and just see them through winter - another month or so and they won't be flying much anyway ?

 

[ShinySideUp]

Gumtree will take adverts for livestock .. there's a few colonies for sale on there at present which may give you some idea of pricing but they don't seem to be moving that quickly. As has been said - it's not the best time to be selling bees as whoever takes them has the job of getting them through winter, feeding them and anything else that needs doing which rather limits your market to someone who is either desperate to keep bees and/or doesn't know much about them. It's a litte bit mean to inflict bees that have been stinging you on someone who is unsuspecting but you would need a beekeeper who is able to re-queen if you are truthful.

Either way, at this time of the year, you are going to take a hit on the price - you would get a lot more in spring and by then they may be more amenable ... the colonies will have reduced in size and you will get a premium price from people who will know what a good colony in spring is worth in honey crop.

I completely understand how you feel - there's nothing much more unpleasant that being chased by bees trying to sting you in your own garden ... Can you put some high mesh screens round them to get them well up in the air and just see them through winter - another month or so and they won't be flying much anyway ?

There are screens there. The bees are not generally defensive but there are always one or two during the summer that take a dislike to me, I have no idea why. I'm not generally attacked and often cut the grass by the hives without a problem. There seems to be a certain part of ther garden that the odd bee feels the need to defend.

In answer to the timing question, I'm not going to sell immediately and it was my intention to wait until spring. Of course by then I'll have forgotten it until I get stung in early autumn again ☺

 

[user 819]

Maybe you need to think about re-queening and then sell two and keep two colonies ?
Be ruthless and cull the bad genes and unite colonies as well.

 

[Natureboy44]

Maybe you need to think about re-queening and then sell two and keep two colonies ?
Be ruthless and cull the bad genes and unite colonies as well.

Would have to agree, garden beekeeper myself and have done something similar. Ended up running away with it a bit and had too many in the garden and one of this years new local mated queen was producing a lot feistier bees (extremely productive though would have been good for farm or someone with more land) too much in the end for a hobby garden beekeeper like myself. I am trying some new queens and downsized considerably it's much calmer and more manageable here already.

 

[enrico]

I bought a similar set up for £1000 from a lady who had a stroke.i split it all and sold the hives on to get my money back keeping bits I needed. Suggest you sell in small lots to make the most of it. Pity Shiny, you have let things get too large in MHO. The main thing is you are fed up of looking after them though so .......god luck!
E
.

 

[pargyle]

There are screens there. The bees are not generally defensive but there are always one or two during the summer that take a dislike to me, I have no idea why. I'm not generally attacked and often cut the grass by the hives without a problem. There seems to be a certain part of ther garden that the odd bee feels the need to defend.

In answer to the timing question, I'm not going to sell immediately and it was my intention to wait until spring. Of course by then I'll have forgotten it until I get stung in early autumn again ☺

There's always a silver lining .. if you did decide to sell you could see a nice little earner in an early spring sale ... but I get the feeling you might be losing the memory of this season's stings already. Sell one colony in spring and invest the proceeds in some really calm queens from known pussycat stock ?

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

So sorry it’s come to this Shiny, but I can understand your feelings.
I worry about mine becoming feisty as I don’t have access to an out apiary either.
I wish you all the best selling it off.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So sorry Shiny. We keep our bees in one of our fields away from the house and we’ve had one or two real stinkers. I don’t know what I’d have done if they were in the garden. But I like Philip’s suggestion of keeping a couple and putting in nice gentle queens.

 

[GuyNir]

Sorry to hear Shiny. Hope you’ll change your mind.

 

[Rockingod]

After getting stung on my head again when nowhere near the bees and not even in their line of sight I think I want my garden back. I dont want an out-apiary and I'm getting a bit fed up of keeping them anyway.

I have four colonies plus another empty hive, at least ten supers, two nuc boxes and all the accoutrements that go with the hobby.

Since they are live colonies, not just the equipment, what is the best way of selling the whole kit and caboodle as a job lot?

I don't realty know the people in my local society. Is gumtree a realistic way?

How much should I ask for it all, none of it is more than five years old.

Well Shiny.....I'm gutted to hear that you want to throw in the towel. (are you seriously that sort of guy?) If you're a Kernow (or are you not a natural?) I would have thought better.
Tip 1....The girls will be settling down for the winter now so you won't have any further issues until the spring.
Tip 2...Worst time to get rid. Prices will be on the floor until spring.
Tip 3... Sorry....There's no tip 3 !!
My past experiences.....I've given up the number of times in the last 20+ years that I've said to myself that I'm going to get rid of the little tykes. However, something,......just something......in the back of my stupid Welsh head keeps calling me back to my little puppies.
My advice.....
Sleep on it for a couple of months and see how you feel in February/March.
We are all here to help you.......

 

[Show me the honey]

Reduce your numbers back to like 2 hives keep enough equipment so you don’t need to buy anything and re queen I’ve not bought equipment for 2 years so have made a tidy profit so may even break even soon lol

 

[Ian123]

If you want a couple of early quiet queens I suggest you try bs honey bees and grab a couple of the buckfast or carina they do. There available late March early April.

 

[Michael ECB's]

Unless your heart is no longer in it.....

 

[bobba]

I too am a garden keeper with 4 hives. Luckily no stinting problems here.

I was thinking of down scaling back to 2 or 3 hives next year.

I had not considered the possibility of selling a hive. What is the going rate for a hive in the spring? And is there much demand?

 

[Pembroke]

I'm a member of a google group (remember them) called Buybees, I expect some on here are also members? They might be a possible outlet now. Here's a copy of the latest post from 3 days ago.

I assume posting this is okay Mods?
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6 2020 buckfast queens for sale at £160 for all 6 (£20 in advance ). Can post next day signed for delivery.

Please email me Patrick Laslett [email protected]

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "buybees" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/buybees/CAL%2BZF4H9dOUHBXV_sHxw17Z37HRUC1mwQbB58rBweka4ztia6A%40mail.gmail.com
==========

It gives all the necessary details on how to get in touch, although I looked on the google groups index just now and there doesn't seem to be any posts on the actual group since it started so maybe it's just used as a mailing list. As you can see it's all done via the owner so there's no giving out details to all and sundry.

There's also an accompanying website: Honeybees for sale not the most glamourous site on the web but it does it's job.

 

[user 6228]

I will say having nice bees again after a bunch of $%^&* is such a joy...

 

[Pembroke]

I had not considered the possibility of selling a hive. What is the going rate for a hive in the spring? And is there much demand?

The problem is the answer to your question is "It depends". If you wait for the spring sales then it will depend on how many attend the sale, how many hives are for sale and what they are (full hives, nucs or just bees on frames), what the quantity (number of active frames) and their temperament. There's also location to think about, here in rural Wales the prices will be lower than in or near bigger cities as there's more cash, and dare I say it more people looking for the 'hobby beekeeper' lifestyle.

A typical sale that I've attended (going back 10 years or so) would produce results in the £100-200 range for bees on frames up to approx. £350 for a full hive with all the wood work but there are so many factors involved it's hard to say.

Next year of course covid will affect the metrics, there will probably be more buyers, but also a glut of equipment and bees so prices may be lower.

Other sales may be to a beginner at your local association with a couple of seasons mentoring thrown in.

 

[willyou]

After getting stung on my head again when nowhere near the bees and not even in their line of sight I think I want my garden back. I dont want an out-apiary and I'm getting a bit fed up of keeping them anyway.

I have four colonies plus another empty hive, at least ten supers, two nuc boxes and all the accoutrements that go with the hobby.

Since they are live colonies, not just the equipment, what is the best way of selling the whole kit and caboodle as a job lot?

I don't realty know the people in my local society. Is gumtree a realistic way?

How much should I ask for it all, none of it is more than five years old.

Hi if you still have them for sale message me thanks
Bill