Why do people use large beehives like national?

[oxnatbees]

I am using National bee hive. They are large bee hives.

I have seen in some places (not in the UK) people using small brood and super boxes (may half of the size of a national hive).

I think if the boxes are small, it will easier for the bees to survive in winter.
Small brood box will be warmer than large brood box in winter.

It depends. If you want lots of honey, you select queens which are very prolific, or buy them from a breeder. Then you move the hives around (for forage). This is honey farming.

But if you have a static hive, say in your garden, your forage is limited. Then local bees are good - they are only as prolific as the location can support. These fit well in narrow hives like Warres.

A lot of problems arise when large scale honey farmers give advice because they assume all beekeepers are interested in maximum honey. This approach needs lots of management because they create conditions (like no brood breaks) where varroa, etc increase beyond the level the bees can naturally handle.

 

[Markthebuilder]

lot of problems arise when large scale honey farmers give advice because they assume all beekeepers are interested in maximum honey. This approach needs lots of management because they create conditions (like no brood breaks) where varroa, etc increase beyond the level the bees can naturally handle.
[/QUOTE]

how do you prevent brood breaks other than ensuring queen has drawn comb (Space to lay) and forage.. possibly moving hives . Interested because I have a queen that whilst she is lovely and has a gentle hive she seams more re about maintaining the status quo than on expansion.

 

[REDWOOD]

You don’t have to move hives to get good forage just a good location, I don’t move hives and weather permitting they have good forage from March to late September. larger BB will hold more stores for winter, very seldom do you need to feed, more room and less crowding and never need to put a brood and a half.
The only disadvantage I can see is if you need to move them they are heavy

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you want lots of honey,Then you move the hives around (for forage).

Why?I never do, and I know plenty of other bee farmers who seldom move theirs.

You don’t have to move hives to get good forage just a good location,

 

[Anduril]

Why?I never do, and I know plenty of other bee farmers who seldom move theirs.

Even on YouTube British Bee Farmers have mainly static apiaries and the ones in my area are static.

 

[oxnatbees]

Why?I never do, and I know plenty of other bee farmers who seldom move theirs.

OK, I am under a misapprehension, probably from reading about American bee farmers. But you have mentioned working with the Co-op farms, as they needed someone who could work at scale. Did that involve moving hives? Was that 90% about pollination, 10% honey?

 

[oxnatbees]

lot of problems arise when large scale honey farmers give advice because they assume all beekeepers are interested in maximum honey. This approach needs lots of management because they create conditions (like no brood breaks) where varroa, etc increase beyond the level the bees can naturally handle.

how do you prevent brood breaks other than ensuring queen has drawn comb (Space to lay) and forage.. possibly moving hives . Interested because I have a queen that whilst she is lovely and has a gentle hive she seams more re about maintaining the status quo than on expansion.
[/QUOTE]

Natural beekeeper. I WANT at least one brood break, to reset varroa numbers to near zero. Haven't needed miticides since I switched to local bees in 2012.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but according to you your colonies die off after four or five years?

 

[Finman]

but according to you your colonies die off after four or five years?

Whose problem is to move hives around?
Idea is to move hives to better pastures.

Bees "most valuable feature" is pollination. How do you do it if you do not move hives.

Odd arguments.

 

[Finman]

Natural beekeeper. I WANT at least one brood break, to reset varroa numbers to near zero. Haven't needed miticides since I switched to local bees in 2012.

What is your normal yield per colony?

Varroa use to take its own part from the colony's wellfare.

Brood brake does not move mite numbers to zero. Such varroa control would be easy.
Brood brake is usual, when a hive swarms.

 

[REDWOOD]

OK, I am under a misapprehension, probably from reading about American bee farmers. But you have mentioned working with the Co-op farms, as they needed someone who could work at scale. Did that involve moving hives? Was that 90% about pollination, 10% honey?

American farmers move their hives for pollination, the honey is secondary income but not the most lucrative

 

[Finman]

American farmers move their hives for pollination, the honey is secondary income but not the most lucrative

That is not true. There is no rule which is which.


In UK some love bees and some love honey. Ridiculous idea.

 

[ericbeaumont]

honey farmers give advice because they assume all beekeepers are interested in maximum honey.

Never mind beekeepers, it's bees that are keen to maximise honey yields, and we ought to support that aim.

To do otherwise is to work against their intentions, and that's never a good idea.

 

[oxnatbees]

but according to you your colonies die off after four or five years?

Yes, because I don't requeen, I restock from a swarm the next year. I'm more interested in learning about the bees' lifecycle than honey. I think of a colony that has been requeened after 1 year as only living one year.

 

[oxnatbees]

What is your normal yield per colony?

Varroa use to take its own part from the colony's wellfare.

Brood brake does not move mite numbers to zero. Such varroa control would be easy.
Brood brake is usual, when a hive swarms.

Oh it's really low, I don't weigh it, but a couple of buckets is enough for the family for a year. I know i could get loads more if I used different bees, queen excluders, feeding etc.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I know i could get loads more

So could the bees.

 

[Finman]

Oh it's really low, I don't weigh it, but a couple of buckets is enough for the family for a year. I know i could get loads more if I used different bees, queen excluders, feeding etc.

It depends on pastures what they get. If you want more honey, you must change pastures.

 

[Anduril]

Yes, because I don't requeen, I restock from a swarm the next year. I'm more interested in learning about the bees' lifecycle than honey. I think of a colony that has been requeened after 1 year as only living one year.

Part of a bees life cycle IS being requeened whether it is swarming, supersedure or emergency. You say about different breeds and getting loads of honey. My mongrels outperform my Buckfasts and my main aim is for less defensive bees.

 

[ericbeaumont]

If you want more honey

He wants less (unlike his bees).

 

[Boston Bees]

Never mind beekeepers, it's bees that are keen to maximise honey yields, and we ought to support that aim.

There is truth in what you say, but of course bees are primarily interested in reproducing. Storing honey is simply a means of allowing them to survive until the next spring when they can reproduce some more.