wanted nuc swarm or colony

[stevo]

Wanted nuc swarm or colony based in suffolk

 

[Oscarmonster]

Pm sent.

 

[mbc]

This post has made me think, could this be the new 'best' time for obtaining bees ?
I know round here there are lots of beekeepers heading into winter with too many colonies for their liking, having had a successful year of swarm collecting and splits. Some are wondering how to unite several good lots together into one box to get their usual wintering setup, maybe they'd be better off offering their bees for next to nothing to beginners, this would certainly shake the stranglehold of the sellers of overly expensive imported nucs in the Spring.

 

[Oscarmonster]

That is the position I'm in.

 

[Pete D]

This post has made me think, could this be the new 'best' time for obtaining bees ?
I know round here there are lots of beekeepers heading into winter with too many colonies for their liking, having had a successful year of swarm collecting and splits. Some are wondering how to unite several good lots together into one box to get their usual wintering setup, maybe they'd be better off offering their bees for next to nothing to beginners, this would certainly shake the stranglehold of the sellers of overly expensive imported nucs in the Spring.

I had the opposite idea..........
I would take them through winter and if I have a surplus in the spring I would reduce my numbers then by uniting to take advantage of early crops or by selling at a realistic price. Reckon its better that I treat and feed them as appropiate than leave them to a beginner who may run into difficulties depending on how well the bees are prepared before they get them and what the winter and spring is going to be like.

 

[clv101]

I had the opposite idea..........
I would take them through winter and...

Yeah, if you have the space this seems like a better idea than selling/offloading now.

 

[mbc]

But if you were looking for free or extremely cheap bees it would be much less cheeky to ask about the possibility of getting them now than in the Spring.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I had the opposite idea..........
I would take them through winter and if I have a surplus in the spring I would reduce my numbers then by uniting to take advantage of early crops or by selling at a realistic price.

Yeah, if you have the space this seems like a better idea than selling/offloading now.

Insurance too