ugcheleuce
Field Bee
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2013
- Messages
- 669
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Apeldoorn, Netherlands
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 7-10
Hello everyone
I can't keep bees at my house, which is a pity, because I live in an area with very good, steady flow all summer long. My neighbours don't like me to keep bees, and my son is allergic to bee stings. However, I will be able to inspect hives full of bees at my house, as long as the hives don't stay for longer than a couple of hours in a week. As it happens, I found a spot within half a mile from my house where I can put the hives, but although I have 24-hour access to the property, I can't inspect the hives there. As far as I can tell, there aren't any other hives within a quarter mile from that spot (which I'll call the "apiary" in this post).
So what I think of doing is this: I'll keep two or three hives right next to each other at that apiary. Then, once every 5-7 days, I'll go to the apiary after sunset, close the flight holes of one of the hives, take the hive home, and then inspect the hive early the next morning. In theory, the foragers that leave the hive during my inspection will fly off and then return to the apiary, where they should be able to beg their way into one of the other hives. Once I'm done with the inspection, I close the flight holes again and put the hive in the shade all day long (with an open bottom), and then take it back to the apiary after sunset again. Any gain in foragers experienced by any of the apiary hives will level out when it's those hives' turn for inspection.
What do you think are my chances of success? Other neighbours walk their dogs regulary, and I'll be walking my bees regularly.
Samuel
I can't keep bees at my house, which is a pity, because I live in an area with very good, steady flow all summer long. My neighbours don't like me to keep bees, and my son is allergic to bee stings. However, I will be able to inspect hives full of bees at my house, as long as the hives don't stay for longer than a couple of hours in a week. As it happens, I found a spot within half a mile from my house where I can put the hives, but although I have 24-hour access to the property, I can't inspect the hives there. As far as I can tell, there aren't any other hives within a quarter mile from that spot (which I'll call the "apiary" in this post).
So what I think of doing is this: I'll keep two or three hives right next to each other at that apiary. Then, once every 5-7 days, I'll go to the apiary after sunset, close the flight holes of one of the hives, take the hive home, and then inspect the hive early the next morning. In theory, the foragers that leave the hive during my inspection will fly off and then return to the apiary, where they should be able to beg their way into one of the other hives. Once I'm done with the inspection, I close the flight holes again and put the hive in the shade all day long (with an open bottom), and then take it back to the apiary after sunset again. Any gain in foragers experienced by any of the apiary hives will level out when it's those hives' turn for inspection.
What do you think are my chances of success? Other neighbours walk their dogs regulary, and I'll be walking my bees regularly.
Samuel