When to get bees

[Maltey]

Is there a certain time you should buy bees?

 

[enrico]

They usually arrive in may or June if you buy as a nuc, but anytime is good if it is a full hive with bees

 

[Maltey]

Forgive me because I'm not quite up to scratch with all my bee terms;
if I already have a hive I'd be buying a nuc right?

 

[enrico]

Sorry. If you have a hive then you need to order a nuc. It comes with five or six frames of bees and a laying queen from a reputable source. If you ordered now it would arrive in may or June. The supplier should ensure the queen is laying well before giving it over to you. Your bees then have time to build up over the summer. They usually arrive in a cardboard type nuc box that you transfer to your own hive. Sometimes in a returnable wooden nuc, or you pay for the nuc box too! If you are relying on a 'wild' swarm you could be waiting a long time, if you have another beekeeper who will supply you with a nuc you can keep the cost down.
Hope this makes more sense
E

 

[For want of a better word]

Common mistake by many beekeeperers and beeminders alike
A hive is an empty box... a colony is a full compliment of bees... a nuc is a small new colony of bees with a laying queen, ready to be transferred to a hive


When someone asks "How many hives do you have.. I quite often answer.. oh a hundred or so, never really counted them" !!

A swarm is a whole compliment of bees looking for a new home
A cast is a generally smaller swarm, usually a secondary event after the prime swarm has left their home.
A grist is the collective term for a lot of bees
Wild Feral colonies do not probably exist in the UK, Feral sites most likely do, being serially colonised by swarms.. or casts, from local managed colonies...............

Unless you live in Hivemakers neck of the woods where the feral sites quickly get pollyfoamed in as they are a possible source of diseases!

Now a beekeepingforum storm of acidic comments and billyblustering will ensue!!

 

[For want of a better word]

Sorry. If you have a hive then you need to order a nuc. It comes with five or six frames of bees and a laying queen from a reputable source. If you ordered now it would arrive in may or June. The supplier should ensure the queen is laying well before giving it over to you. Your bees then have time to build up over the summer. They usually arrive in a cardboard type nuc box that you transfer to your own hive. Sometimes in a returnable wooden nuc, or you pay for the nuc box too! If you are relying on a 'wild' swarm you could be waiting a long time, if you have another beekeeper who will supply you with a nuc you can keep the cost down.
Hope this makes more sense
E

Nice if you could source the bees in the UK and make sure nothing including the queen has been brought in from far far awayland!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Forgive me because I'm not quite up to scratch with all my bee terms;
if I already have a hive I'd be buying a nuc right?

Try reading this, and follow all links from within the page and the index on the left. It might help.

"Advice for New Beekeepers" (Beebase)
https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?sectionid=70

 

[REDWOOD]

There are lots of free PDFs on the net, here are a couple worth a look
http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Beekeeping/A_Practical_Manual_of_Beekeeping.pdf

http://www.wbka.com/education.html