what is the saturation points for bees/ha

[artibaton]

after much negotiation with my bosses etc, my out apiary has fallen through as the existing beekeeper on the farm feels that 6 hives on 78 hectares 50 OSR and 28 Field Beans (with a rose nursery smack bang in the middle) has reached saturation point.

Whilst i accept that i'm not going to be able to use this land, is the other beek right?

 

[Polyanwood]

How disappointing for you. Seems harsh. I would think about how much forage there is when beans and rape are not in bloom. Do you think that is what other beekeeper is worried about?

 

[artibaton]

i'm not sure, i was planning on having the hives there only for the major forage periods, april-july as i'm hoping to get them down to the heather later in the year. also with the nursery and lots of established hedgerow and maize all within a mile or so, i wonder if he's just protecting his patch. I guess i would probably do the same. It would have been nice if i could have spoken to him at least but hey ho:-/

 

[BKF Admin]

Sounds like a stich-up to me.

Do you have another site you can use?
If not spend an evening looking at Googlemaps and then go around local farms etc and ask if you can site a few hives.

 

[artibaton]

yeah that's what i'm planning admin (wow that's formal, maybe ill call my next kid Admin do your friends just call you AD?)

also i'm going to put a request on my local freecycle cafe site see if anyone is interested

 

[Poly Hive]

No he is not right at all.

50 ha of rape will support 50 hives np.

If he is that silly you are better off away from him.

Getting an out apiariy is best done by looking for a site and then asking. Preferably with no other beekeeper involved, (I hate the term beek.)
PH

 

[artibaton]

sorry polyhive, i think ive picked beek up from those darn yanks
i like their methods from what ive seen and certainly prefer my poly and wood langs to those weird little national things
but i forget we are 2 nations seperated by a common language.

i always believed that even in monoculture areas (not that there are many in the uk) 1 hive per acre was possible, although maybe pushing it a bit, but 78ha for 6 hives just seems plain greedy

at least ive found out now and can look elsewhere

 

[jean]

When you have a contract where the aim is to pollinate the crop for the farmer, the number of hives per hectare necessary for this varies with the crop. For OSR it is considered to be between 4 and 6 hives per hectare.

 

[ian]

Hi Arti

At peak time that site would support that number of hives, however most of us with a few hives would just simply not want to share some sort of communial site.

There have been more than 1 case of sticky fingers in the past and why increase any chance of disease. You would find few if any commercial guys wiiling to share sites if the other beek is not a friend or known to them.


Sites are not hard to come by and a in the area armed with a jar or 2 of honey even if it's not yours can bring a supprising number of offers

Even if your site is just down the road it may work quite well for you, and of course don't forget the BAIT HIVE


Regards Ian

 

[artibaton]

lol thanks for all the suggestions....beep beep chugga chugga out in my big red car....TOOT TOOT
just would have been nice to be able to go see the girls during my work breaks
not that there are many of them...breaks i mean...mind u bees too atm

 

[BKF Admin]

LOL at Ian and the bait hives,i like that idea

 

[artibaton]

I'm keeping very quiet and plotting

 

[BKF Admin]

I have a new bait hive lure that should be ready around April,I will send you a bottle with dropper to use,you only need a couple of drops per hive.

 

[artibaton]

cool admin that would be great. I'm keeping my poly hive spare for swarm capture and bait hive....would it be possible to just use a nuc as a bait hive?

 

[ian]

Hi

All my friends get a jar of honey and a bait hive for the garage/shed roof, or even a rachet strap to a tree/fence post. In particular those just up the road from known hives

Single brood boxes are the best size and a ply roof and floor just screwed on to an old box works well. Old comb is a great attractant on it's own, lemon grass oil works and Thornes swarm lures work very well or a combination of the above, but always put in a bit of old comb or even foundation(but no honey)


Regards Ian

 

[ian]

Hi

Forgot to add, keep the entrance small. A couple of inches max.

 

[artibaton]

why is a small entrance better?

incidentally Ian are you based near me?

 

[ian]

Hi

I think that in nature bees want an entrance they can defend, there is also quite a bit of research on box sizes and entrances, locations(off the ground)

No need to be to clever though as I have just helped cut 2 colonies out of old oil drums. But put a few things in your favour.

Probabaly quite close but not at the moment.


Regards Ian

 

[BKF Admin]

Probabaly quite close but not at the moment.
Regards Ian

Wow you lucky Bugger! is it a holiday?

 

[ian]

Hi

I understand it's been a little cold?


Regards Ian