I have been a keeper of bees for 9 hours and twenty minutes,all going well so far

I've joined the ranks of grapevine beeks!

Collected my first swarm from the top of a tree and put them in the top bar hive I built a couple of days ago. Looked like a big swarm so hopefully they should do well.

Congratulations! Welcome to the collective confusion!
Have you a camera....?

Originally Posted by vicky

Have you a camera....?

Yes. But not taken any piccies yet. Going to open up the hive this weekend so I'll get snapping then.

Hi
I keep bees I have three hives of my own and 2 belonging to a friend in my apiary. Yesterday I also caught a small swarm possibly a cast.

shelley

Originally Posted by Mrs Dobby

Local honey is brilliant for hayfever, lots of those who use our honey swear by it!

I'm really curious, why does it have to be local?

Originally Posted by Hillwalker

I'm really curious, why does it have to be local?

On the basis that local pollen exacerbates hayfever , then local honey will contain local pollen and help build up a resistance...



5 hives..

Yup, couldnt answer it better myself, gratz on the 5 hives........... we're up to 8 hives and 3 nucs now, after hubby and our friends captured another swarm on the plot today (they arent coming from our bees, but do seem to like our allotment, so we'll keep homing them for as long as we've got spare nuc boxes!

Thanks for the replies. I can see the sense in that, there's a medical equivalent. Don't think it'll work for me though, my hay fever's due to tree pollen.

Hi All, My wife and I have been subscribed to the magazine for over a year now but have'nt been on the website forums before. This is my first beekeeping year and I've unintentionally gone from one topbar hive to three already. The hives are on my flat roof and shed roof at home.
Noting Mrs Dobby's expenditure on their hives, I think it is important to not put people off getting bees due to cost. Conventional hives cost loads to buy & operate but can produce a lot of honey, and I have nothing but admiration for Mrs Dobby's achievements, but many of us these days cannot afford to go this route.
Top bar hives are a bit radical for conventional beekeepers, but can be DIY homemade and operated for very little cost. - May I volunteer Madasafish as being more experienced than I about these?
I don't think ( and hope!) I've spent more than ooh, £400 tops so far. My hives cost about £50 each using some new and some reclaimed materials. No fancy tools or clothing either, made my own veil that fits over any brimmed hat, and don't need a smoker at all. No courses either, there is loads of info and forums on the web, and joining my local BBKA branch gives me weekly practical knowledge and helpful advice, albeit using conventional hives.
Rather than try to re-invent the knowledge-base on this forum, why not have a list of the bee-specific websites and forums for those wishing to learn how to keep bees, but post information helpful to non-beekeepers - e.g
-what chemicals not to use and spray on your allotments & why.
-What the stages of the bee year are and what they need plant/tree-wise during that year?

Hi there Beardy P ...and welcome to the Vine!

We have one hive (ruche) at present over here in the Haute Vienne, France.

I have two hivers on my allotment. I started out in bee keeping last July. I have met around 15,000 of the 40,000 odd "experts" out there. Most are other allotment holders! I am listening to ONE person only as well as I got totally peed of by the amount of "debate" that went on about why my first hive swarmed twice, most of the debate was aimed quite firmly at me as new beek and therefor obviously useless at bee keeping

Originally Posted by Beardy P

Noting Mrs Dobby's expenditure on their hives, I think it is important to not put people off getting bees due to cost. Conventional hives cost loads to buy & operate but can produce a lot of honey, and I have nothing but admiration for Mrs Dobby's achievements, but many of us these days cannot afford to go this route.
Top bar hives are a bit radical for conventional beekeepers, but can be DIY homemade and operated for very little cost. - May I volunteer Madasafish as being more experienced than I about these?
I don't think ( and hope!) I've spent more than ooh, £400 tops so far.
Rather than try to re-invent the knowledge-base on this forum, why not have a list of the bee-specific websites and forums for those wishing to learn how to keep bees, but post information helpful to non-beekeepers - e.g
-what chemicals not to use and spray on your allotments & why.
-What the stages of the bee year are and what they need plant/tree-wise during that year?

Thanks Beardy..

You can get free plans for TBH here: How To Build A Top Bar Hive by Philip Chandler in Crafts & Hobbies

And lots of info on how to manage them etc.. Natural Beekeeping Forum - Top Bar Beekeeping Forum

and lots of beekeeping discussions here: Beekeeping Forum

I will admit to being really really mean on beekeeping costs.

I make all my own hives : mainly from reclaimed pallets,. Total costs incl roofing felt, glues, wire mesh, fixings and paint is less than £30 per hive. But because I use nasty cheap grotty wood, some of the woodwork is not very pleasing to the yee. and if you want a work of great beauty.. buy wood.. from a local timber merchant - approx £50 per hive. It speeds up making the hive as well and makes it easier.

Tools I have: Workbench, clamps, saws, electric drill and JIGSAW.. The latter makes cutting easier.. Steel rulers, T square, tape measures and overalls and protective gloves as I use fast setting Polyurethane glue to fill imperfections in joins..(Everbuild PU Glue 5 minute set is ideal - ebay ...Or Gorilla).

Buy nothing in big sheds like B&Q - builders merchants cheaper).

I have at present 4 TBH occupied and two warre hives. I have over the winter built another 4 foot long TBH, one 18inch mini TBH . I am planning to raise queens this year and am building my own mini mating nukes from buidling insulation (cheap ex ebay)..

As far as flowers, planted lots .. a good list of plants:
Pollen source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Trees, shrubs and flowers that can help your bees


I am just growing bee trees from seed: File:Evodia hupehensis a1.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seeds from ebay.. easy to grow and lots of bees attracted to them .. I belive.

Anyone near me wants to know more, PM me..

Originally Posted by Beardy P

Noting Mrs Dobby's expenditure on their hives, I think it is important to not put people off getting bees due to cost. Conventional hives cost loads to buy & operate but can produce a lot of honey, and I have nothing but admiration for Mrs Dobby's achievements, but many of us these days cannot afford to go this route.
Top bar hives are a bit radical for conventional beekeepers, but can be DIY homemade and operated for very little cost. - May I volunteer Madasafish as being more experienced than I about these?
I don't think ( and hope!) I've spent more than ooh, £400 tops so far.
Rather than try to re-invent the knowledge-base on this forum, why not have a list of the bee-specific websites and forums for those wishing to learn how to keep bees, but post information helpful to non-beekeepers - e.g
-what chemicals not to use and spray on your allotments & why.
-What the stages of the bee year are and what they need plant/tree-wise during that year?

Thanks Beardy..

You can get free plans for TBH here: How To Build A Top Bar Hive by Philip Chandler in Crafts & Hobbies

And lots of info on how to manage them etc.. Natural Beekeeping Forum - Top Bar Beekeeping Forum

and lots of beekeeping discussions here: Beekeeping Forum

I will admit to being really really mean on beekeeping costs.

I make all my own hives : mainly from reclaimed pallets,. Total costs incl roofing felt, glues, wire mesh, fixings and paint is less than £30 per hive. But because I use nasty cheap grotty wood, some of the woodwork is not very pleasing to the eye. and if you want a work of great beauty.. buy wood.. from a local timber merchant - approx £50 per hive. It speeds up making the hive as well and makes it easier.

Tools I have: Workbench, clamps, saws, electric drill and JIGSAW.. The latter makes cutting easier.. Steel rulers, T square, tape measures and overalls and protective gloves as I use fast setting Polyurethane glue to fill imperfections in joins..(Everbuild PU Glue 5 minute set is ideal - ebay ...Or Gorilla).

Buy nothing in big sheds like B&Q - builders merchants cheaper).

I have at present 4 TBH occupied and two warre hives. I have over the winter built another 4 foot long TBH, one 18inch mini TBH . I am planning to raise queens this year and am building my own mini mating nukes from buidling insulation (cheap ex ebay)..

As far as flowers, planted lots .. a good list of plants:
Pollen source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Trees, shrubs and flowers that can help your bees


I am just growing bee trees from seed: File:Evodia hupehensis a1.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seeds from ebay.. easy to grow and lots of bees attracted to them .. I believe.

Anyone near me wants to know more, PM me..