What Bees to Keep?

[Raceyboy]

Hi, I'm picking peoples brains at the moment on several topics in beekeeping, this is because I want to be 100% sure about what I'm doing, and theres no better people to ask than your good selves...... I'm looking at bees with a good temperment, any recomendations would be much appreciated...... Still waiting for an offer from somebody locally to show me around a hive and give me abit of hands on experience.....

 

[For want of a better word]

You are well located to do it !

 

[RoseCottage]

Welcome to the beekeeping world. I hope you enjoy your learning experiences. You should consider making contact with the local beekeeping association in Lincolnshire.

Have a look for them on:

www. BB KA.org.uk/about/local_associations

(just remove the space in BB KA)

They will be happy to get you involved and will be able to give you exposure to bees and discuss what you are hoping to achieve and how best to go about things,

All the best,
Sam.

 

[Steve Dyer]

Hi, I'm picking peoples brains at the moment on several topics in beekeeping, this is because I want to be 100% sure about what I'm doing, and theres no better people to ask than your good selves...... I'm looking at bees with a good temperment, any recomendations would be much appreciated......

Welcome to beekeeping, the main thing about it is:
1. Give up the idea of being 100% sure - there is no such thing in beekeeping and all the advice you will be given is questionable, dubious and often downright wrong - probably including this, but that's half the fun.
2. The bees with the best temperament are pure-bred New Zealand - bright orangey colour. However they can become less well tempered when crosssed with local bees, and it is difficult to avoid this unless you continuously import NZ queens.
3. Bees with a good temperament are not as productive, or protective of their crop as nasty bees.
4. Start with a small colony, or a swarm, and let it grow with you. I gave a neighbour of mine a small cast in April. It developed, and swarmed and he now has two quite large colonies, cost in bees zero, and lots of experience gained in a few months.

Thats my starter for 10 Good luck..

Steve

 

[Blodwen Price]

I can heartily recommend getting docile, highly productive bees, of a strain that rarely swarm, overwinter well, and start early in the spring.

Good luck with that!

Joking aside, Point #1 from Steve Dyer is spot on, you'll never be 100% sure, at least not if you have an ounce of sense!

 

[oliver90owner]

I want to be 100% sure about what I'm doing

Not sure that I would agree with the previous posters. One can be 100% sure, but that would not mean 100% correct, and may need 100% compliance from the bees!.

One thing that is '100% sure': if you want to do something 100% opposite to what the bees want/would do, it won't work anywhere near 100% of the time!!

RAB

 

[OXFORDBEE]

3. Bees with a good temperament are not as productive, or protective of their crop as nasty bees.

Steve, you make good suggestions but I have to make a comment on the above statement.

I heard it said over 30 years ago; "My bees came from the Sandifords, they are agressive but they give me the most honey...". Take it form me the combination of aggression and honey yield is a myth!

Running more than one hive, I can comfortably state the most productive colonies I have are easy to manage and have 5+ supers (commercial) on at the moment. The benefit of being able to go into a hive in inclement weather (with all the foragers at home), without the bees having a severe temper tantrum is one I highly value, especially with 7 day inspections.

The benefit of being able to go into a garden hive without the neighbours having to move out must be immeasurable..!

The hidden point with agressive bees require extra management time by the beekeeper. This cost (in time) precludes their use in a commerical/semi-commericial operation as the number of hives that can be managed is reduced.

On the point of agression, Buckfast and Carniolan bees are as docile as Italians. It is their crosses that are agressive. I belive quite a few people sell Buckfast F1 crosses that are docile.

Docility is a trait that is readily selected for provided the beekeeper runs more than a couple of hives..

 

[tonybloke]

totally agree with OXFORDBEE, docility is a trait that is probably more important than productivity.

I've helped a Beekeeper with really aggressive bees, it ain't fun.

 

[region2]

www. BB KA.org.uk/about/local_associations

(just remove the space in BB KA)

www.*************/about/local_associations <-- just testing to see if links actually work...

Seems they don't - come on Admin - pse turn off this annoying asterisk thing - B B K A is going to get mentioned a lot and it's relevant so why start it out?

R2

 

[jasonahood]

Hi, I'm picking peoples brains at the moment on several topics in beekeeping, this is because I want to be 100% sure about what I'm doing, and theres no better people to ask than your good selves...... I'm looking at bees with a good temperment, any recomendations would be much appreciated...... Still waiting for an offer from somebody locally to show me around a hive and give me abit of hands on experience.....

Your best bet would be to start by contacting the Lincolnshire Beekeepers association and getting some "Bee" time and start reading some books - the Association have a recommended reading list as well.

Once you've started down that route, the variation in Bee "Types" will make a lot more sense.

 

[jasonahood]

If you go to the LKBA website now, they have two taster days planned - one for today ( 2nd July ) and one for 6th August, pop along and take a look.

 

[Crg]

1. Give up the idea of being 100% sure - there is no such thing in beekeeping and all the advice you will be given is questionable, dubious and often downright wrong - probably including this, but that's half the fun.

That's right

2. The bees with the best temperament are pure-bred New Zealand - bright orangey colour. However they can become less well tempered when crosssed with local bees, and it is difficult to avoid this unless you continuously import NZ queens.

I find Italians (what imported NZ queens tend to be) very gentle when all is well, but can be a bit nippy if you have to open them in less than ideal conditions. You can get better tempered bees.

3. Bees with a good temperament are not as productive, or protective of their crop as nasty bees.

This is one of those things that is downright wrong.

 

[colinlee]

what bees

find a local beekeeper,with a calm apairy as i did when i started,handle the bees yourself ,yes i have handle sharp bees they are no fun on an inspection !!.
remember better the devil you know ..
I found and keep Italion ladies .

 

[Tom Bick]

Italian queens mmm. They do produce lovely gentle bees from that nice imported queen.

But they do have a reputation that the 1st or 2nd generation of queen can produces bees less than gentle and lovely.

So for me not a good queen for a novice beekeeper with high risk of swarms from the hive.

 

[Crg]

Italian queens mmm. They do produce lovely gentle bees from that nice imported queen.

But they do have a reputation that the 1st or 2nd generation of queen can produces bees less than gentle and lovely.

There is a high chance of any 1st or 2nd generation queen that a novice raises is going to be less than gentle and lovely.

For a novice it's better to find a source of docile non swarmy queens that they can start off with, and requeen from if necessary.

 

[Raceyboy]

Thanks for all your comments, I have managed to get booked in for a taster this afternoon at Riseholme College, really looking forward to it.....

 

[kazmcc]

There is a high chance of any 1st or 2nd generation queen that a novice raises is going to be less than gentle and lovely.

For a novice it's better to find a source of docile non swarmy queens that they can start off with, and requeen from if necessary.

Don't say that!

You've got me all flustered now lol, wondering if my lovely new ruby legged queen is going to be a tyrant!

lol

 

[Winker]

Don't say that!

You've got me all flustered now lol, wondering if my lovely new ruby legged queen is going to be a tyrant!

lol

all the girls in my life start of lovely and end up tyrants I want to go look at my Bees, the wife is doing her tyrant bit and telling me im going food shopping

 

[madasafish]

There is a high chance of any 1st or 2nd generation queen that a novice raises is going to be less than gentle and lovely.

For a novice it's better to find a source of docile non swarmy queens that they can start off with, and requeen from if necessary.

Hmm I must be lucky. My 1st generation Carnie queens are just as placid and docile as their mother. Maybe because my apiary was flooded with Carnie drones when they mated?

 

[oliver90owner]

Hmm I must be lucky.

You may be, or perhaps just wait for your second generation!

The difference may be that the queen is a direct import from a 'good' export breeder, or your queen could be one of the first generation produced from one of those imported queens. One cannot always tell. That is one problem of using specific breeding lines.

RAB