What have you learned in your first year?

[jd101k2000]

Just completed my first year of bee keeping and I was thinking about how much 'stuff' I have learned from the bees that I wish I had known earlier. I am sure that a lot of this stuff will become second nature. Before it does, I thought it would be useful to share it.

I was wondering if people in a similar situation would have just one thing that they would like to pass on to absolute beginners.

I'll start the ball rolling:

When looking through hives you have to be meticulous. Just because you don't see queen cells on the first five frames you look at doesn't mean that they haven't hidden a sneaky one of the sixth frame. Keep looking!

 

[oliver90owner]

Think. Even before making a suggestion, think. Like the above was passed on for absolute beginners, but it is flawed. I know there will not be queen cells in some colonies, so they do not need checking meticulously for queen cells at every inspection. And if there were, there would be nothing I need to do about it unless I had spare queens available.

Yes, think before you reply.

 

[Nige.Coll]

never take anything for granted just because you followed what the book said doesn't mean you will always get the same outcome.

 

[Galaxy55]

Get to know your bees, don't expect each hive to be the same, the bees don't read the books we do.

 

[enrico]

That your thirtieth year is not much different to your first year! They still get one up on you!
E

 

[Dishmop]

That your thirtieth year is not much different to your first year! They still get one up on you!
E

I think they are constantly seeking ways of annoying us.

 

[maddydog]

If visiting an out apiary think about every bit of equipment you may need before you set off.

 

[Nige.Coll]

If visiting an out apiary think about every bit of equipment you may need before you set off.

and then take more

 

[beecology]

Don't disturb them if not required and enjoy the privilege of observing life within the hive - its something very special to be tolerated so readily by instinctively defensive invertebrates.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just completed my first year of bee keeping and I was thinking about how much 'stuff' I have learned

If you have a bit of worthless (s)crap at the apiary - don't flag down the next totter - take it to your local bee auction and some clown will hand over a hundred crisp ones for it!

 

[jd101k2000]

If you have a bit of worthless (s)crap at the apiary - don't flag down the next totter - take it to your local bee auction and some clown will hand over a hundred crisp ones for it!

Rofl. I was limiting myself to one thing... but yes.

I've just seen loads of bee keeping (s)crap on fleabay sold as 'vintage'. Obviously lots of money to be made. He he he.

 

[Ben90]

• "Bees don't usually swarm in their first year" is a load of crap that should immediately stop being pushed in every beginners' face
• Have equipment to A/S every one of your hives by April. Have enough equipment for an A/S at the time of acquiring your first colony.
• Don't assume that because you have a new queen, your colony won't try to swarm again
• Don't panic. It's probably not the end of the world.
• Books are only a guideline. Acquire the theory behind what's taught in them, learn what actually works in the field for yourself.

 

[Magwat]

In my first year, a few years ago now, I learnt that as a beginner, if you think your hive is queenless it probably isn't. Also patience.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If visiting an out apiary think about every bit of equipment you may need before you set off.

.............. and then leave most of it down there in the grass!

 

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I have learnt an awful lot......if someone had told me this time last year that I would have a hive of bees in my back garden and that I would happily sit a few feet away from the entrance of the hive and drink a cuppa I would have thought that they were completely nuts!

My tip would be get yourself a really experienced mentor who has a sense of humour and the patience of a saint (he needs this when all three Webmuppets turn up for training!) and don't tell your friends and family you have bees......I am fed up with explaining that I won't have any spare honey this year.

 

[rayz_x]

They really will need more stores for winter than you think. (Fortunately not discovered through personal colony loss!).

Ray

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

You need more nucs, boxes and frames, as well as the odd floor, roof and crownboard, than you can possibly imagine.

 

[pargyle]

When you find a queen cell (or two or ten) do something about it ... THEN ... not in a couple of days, not next week ... two days in bee terms is a Lonnnnnnnnggggg time ! Procrastination is the thief of half your colony .... Artificial Swarm in time saves .... a lot of aggravation !

 

[BrianO]

This hobby is addictive. !!!

Prepare yourself for some of the following

As soon as you pass a flowering shrub scanning it for signs of foraging Bee's,

Wandering around Garden centres armed with credit card looking for even more plants that are "Bee magnets" for your garden.

Scanning the TV listing to see if there is anything under the Natural History heading remotely connected to Bees.

Staring so closely at Bees foraging that there is a 50/50 chance that on leaving the particular flower of forage the Bee will fly up one of your nostrils.

Spending far to long on your hunkers watching the frenetic activity of foraging bees coming and going until either, you realise you should be at home having dinner with the family , or you get stung ( as happened last night ! ).

Being close to calling 999 when you spot some poor hapless Bumblebee tangled up in the remnants of a Spiders web

Sitting surrounded by the local sisters in a nearby convent trying to persuade them to let you put beehives in their garden ( day before last ).

Sweating like a Bas***d ( Scuse me ) in a full bee suit, fleece and jeans in 28 degrees of scorching Irish summer heat whilst you marvel at the wonder of these little critters and their ability to produce the beauty that is newly drawn comb.

A kit bag and room smelling like the aftermath of a Bush fire after you dump same along with extinguished smoker and smoky clothes after another inspection.

An attic full of Bee Gear, ranging from Honey Jars to Hive Parts, " What do you mean im cluttering up the Attic luv " ??

Just some of the tell tale signs of a Bee Addict !!

 

[BrianO]

This hobby is addictive. !!!

Prepare yourself for some of the following

As soon as you pass a flowering shrub scanning it for signs of foraging Bee's,

Wandering around Garden centres armed with credit card looking for even more plants that are "Bee magnets" for your garden.

Scanning the TV listing to see if there is anything under the Natural History heading remotely connected to Bees.

Staring so closely at Bees foraging that there is a 50/50 chance that on leaving the particular flower of forage the Bee will fly up one of your nostrils.

Spending far to long on your hunkers watching the frenetic activity of foraging bees coming and going until either, you realise you should be at home having dinner with the family , or you get stung ( as happened last night ! ).

Being close to calling 999 when you spot some poor hapless Bumblebee tangled up in the remnants of a Spiders web

Sitting surrounded by the local sisters in a nearby convent trying to persuade them to let you put beehives in their garden ( day before last ).

Sweating like a Bas***d ( Scuse me ) in a full bee suit, fleece and jeans in 28 degrees of scorching Irish summer heat whilst you marvel at the wonder of these little critters and their ability to produce the beauty that is newly drawn comb.

A kit bag and room smelling like the aftermath of a Bush fire after you dump same along with extinguished smoker and smoky clothes after another inspection.

An attic full of Bee Gear, ranging from Honey Jars to Hive Parts, " What do you mean im cluttering up the Attic luv " ??

Just some of the tell tale signs of a Bee Addict !!