I have decided to start a couple of hives of honey bees. I use enough honey in the wine I make, that it should end up being a pretty good investment.
Anyway, the BF Paul bought me a hive for Valentine's Day and I have ordered my first Nuc of Minnesota Hygienic bees. The bees will arrive around May 11.
Just wondering if anyone out there has any tips for me. I joined the local beekeeper's club and have taken a seminar, but am still open to any tips... like how to keep Toni from eating the bees... There just seems to be SOOOOO much to learn about these little buggers!!!
Good on ya' Kelly! I don't keep bees, but can certainly appreciate the learning curve since I started chickens a little less than a year ago, and not to mention the learning curve on a GSD!! Good luck - I'm sure you will do great. By the way, my mother once got a bucket of earth worms for Mother's Day, and she was THRILLED!!!! (Gardeners will understand.)
I have to admit, Paul's a keeper He took me down to a store with bee keeping equipment and told me to pick out what I wanted... he didn't even cheap out on me, so the bees will have the best hive around
I am excited to get the bees. They are supposed to be a really gentle race of bees... one guy in the club has some and he doesn't smoke them or dress up or anything. He goes out barefooted and in shorts to check on them. He did tell me that they don't like Dial soap... who would have ever guessed that???
I am currently trying to think up a good name for the Queen.... some interesting names come up after a few beers....
What goes with Antonia, Caterina, Drift and Shyner?
My parent's neighbor raises bees, they have 4 hives. The fresh honey out of there is quite simply amazing.
It started out as a science project when he was a freshman in high school and they enjoyed it so much they have expanded the set up to 4 large hives.
I don't know much about their care but I do know that even with thousands of bees living just over the fence no one has ever been stung or bothered by them at all.
Melissa Thom Webboard User Reg: 12-04-2007
Posts: 2781
Loc: Upper Left hand corner, USA
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We had bee hives when I was a kid until my sister became deathly allergic to all things buzzy. They are a very cool project.
A couple pieces of advice. After this year expand to at least 4 hives. That way if one or two hives gets wiped out due to bad winter, disease or parasites it will be easy to re expand back to that hive.
Watch your temperatures. Sometimes your bees will need some help with poor cool springs. No flowers means no food and very hungry bees. Be generous with nectar until you are confident that your bees are established.
Practice with your smoker. Burlap and some select woods like apple limbs were my favorite smoke choices.
Try to find a mentor who knows what the heck they're doing.
Will Rambeau Moderator Reg: 01-25-2003
Posts: 5983
Loc: Idaho
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Kelly,
I have five hives on my property, and Melissa's advice is spot on.
Once you get to four or five hives, just get use to the fact that one of your hives will be "evil" - they'll be the ones that swarm all the time and you'll be wandering around the neighborhood looking for their sorry little selves.
Or your neighbors will be calling you to tell you that they've taken up residence in their yard....not a fun phone call after the third time.
As for tips....
Keep a couple of mid-size cardboard boxes around for swarm retrieval.
Keep supplemental bee feeder "juice" handy ( basically sugar water ).
Pay close attention to learning the tricks of prepping your hives for the winter - it's important information!
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Anyone here keep bees?
There just seems to be SOOOOO much to learn about these little buggers!!!
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