Ten was a starting point for 'discussion', not for criticism of the actual number. Right sort of number. It is certainly not one, or twenty. Somewhere in between.
It will depend on the year, the strain, the beekeeper and likely other factors. Also maybe need to define 'droves' as well.
Certainly ten good colonies on double brood, or similar, should allow lots of 'increase' meaning they are either for sale as nucs or the beekeeper would soon be overrun with bees!
Think. Ten colonies can easily be down to seven after a bad winter (and less, as some have found out in recent years). To get back to ten means splitting three colonies, so that messes up the available number to go queen rearing willy-nilly.
Certainly for increase, buying in queens would alleviate the problem, but PH's thread was all about queen rearing and that takes a couple of months to get a colony up and running well (might want to discuss that as well!).
The point is, with a couple or three colonies quadrupling is pretty simple. Strong colonies, split early, job done. If you want a decent honey crop, don't expect too many more, although it can be done - but not necessarily consistently, year in year out.
When you have around ten the job becomes that much simpler and increase is likely limited by available kit.
Same with this poll. Are we talking hives, colonies or stocks?. Buying in queens late in the year and only taking nucs through the winter could skew the results more than a bit!(I could have done x5 on some of my colonies in August). I would also suggest there are some colonies out there that I would not really regard as 'strong' going into winter as 'full' colonies. They should get through the winter with some TLC, of course, but we don't know yet what the winter may have in store for us.
I personally don't think PH's grafting is the way to go for two-hive beekeepers - and nothing to do with brain power - because they mostly want a honey crop, mostly don't have the space for a huge increase and mostly don't have the time or the inclination.
It would certainly avoid any necessity to import queens but there would likely be some vile tempered colonies out there!
I am wondering how many, who follow PH's grafting, will finish up with 'lots' of increase but with nearly all bad tempered queens. Quite a few of the two-hivers, I would think. I doubt that has been discussed in too much detail, on that thread, either, so another possible topic for a new thread!
It will depend on the year, the strain, the beekeeper and likely other factors. Also maybe need to define 'droves' as well.
Certainly ten good colonies on double brood, or similar, should allow lots of 'increase' meaning they are either for sale as nucs or the beekeeper would soon be overrun with bees!
Think. Ten colonies can easily be down to seven after a bad winter (and less, as some have found out in recent years). To get back to ten means splitting three colonies, so that messes up the available number to go queen rearing willy-nilly.
Certainly for increase, buying in queens would alleviate the problem, but PH's thread was all about queen rearing and that takes a couple of months to get a colony up and running well (might want to discuss that as well!).
The point is, with a couple or three colonies quadrupling is pretty simple. Strong colonies, split early, job done. If you want a decent honey crop, don't expect too many more, although it can be done - but not necessarily consistently, year in year out.
When you have around ten the job becomes that much simpler and increase is likely limited by available kit.
Same with this poll. Are we talking hives, colonies or stocks?. Buying in queens late in the year and only taking nucs through the winter could skew the results more than a bit!(I could have done x5 on some of my colonies in August). I would also suggest there are some colonies out there that I would not really regard as 'strong' going into winter as 'full' colonies. They should get through the winter with some TLC, of course, but we don't know yet what the winter may have in store for us.
I personally don't think PH's grafting is the way to go for two-hive beekeepers - and nothing to do with brain power - because they mostly want a honey crop, mostly don't have the space for a huge increase and mostly don't have the time or the inclination.
It would certainly avoid any necessity to import queens but there would likely be some vile tempered colonies out there!
I am wondering how many, who follow PH's grafting, will finish up with 'lots' of increase but with nearly all bad tempered queens. Quite a few of the two-hivers, I would think. I doubt that has been discussed in too much detail, on that thread, either, so another possible topic for a new thread!
