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I have had the go ahead from the council secretary to put a hive on my plot, as long as it faces over the farmland behind us, and is ok with my neighbouring plot holders. So far 2 have said no problem (9 needed for green light), I wonder if anyone could offer some advise as to whether you think its a good idea or not, and how to approach those that as yet don't know me, that might have objections.

Cheers

Mikey

Well done Mikey
My bees are on my plot. I am lucky all near me seem ok about it.
I say .... talk to people about the bees! bees are having huge problems at the moment and need all the help we can give them.

pointers

Jars of Honey .... on sale, all very, very local! good for hayfever some say.
you are trying to do your bit for the good of the honey bee
pollination of their crops
maybe you could offer help should they get a wild swarm or in dealing with wasps.
Show them bits of the hive and how it works

I have had fellow plot holders want to look in my hive- see how it 'works' what the bee do in there! fab, I love showing them the world of my girls!

Don't forget that whilst you may turn your hive away from people the bees WILL fly straight to the nectar supply!
what you should try to do is get the bees to fly out, up and then off to the flowers.

Good luck and go for it! thats what I say....
I am waiting for a swarm for my 2nd hive but this year is so bad for swarms- none about!

All for it myself, there are hives 3 plots away from mine and as soon as I put some flowering chives from my patch at home in, they were straight over and couldn't get enough.

We need as many bees as we can get, and they will help pollenate everything; they're fab. Even without the bonus of honey!

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Andrea :wavehello

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...logs/zazen999/

moon trials completed:
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currently underway:
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my neighbour at the lottie has bees and we dont have any problems with them its fab for pollination and as everyone has said the bees need all the help they can get, and ultimately as growers of fruit & veg and flowers, etc., we need the bees. its always nice when my neighbour leave a pot of honey in the shed for me too

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The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies ...

My OH has tried for 12 months now to get his hives (2) on the allotment but the comittee are having none of it. None of the plot holders are bothered (most really would like it) but just a few on the commitee are dead against it

He went along to the AGM and explained all the positives but as we are quite close to a residential area they are worried about people getting stung and they wouldn't be insured.

We do keep them on a private field which is at the end of the lane (even closer to residents) so not really a hardship just a bit annoying

I'm sure if you explain how the bee hive works and what good it does the plot holders will support you. Good Luck

Hi,
we've got 2 hives on the lottie. Almost everyone is happy, one or two have said "so long as not near me". So it's on a spot surrounded by appreciative people. Def get their ok though.

We put a small windbreak up for two reasons: i) to cushion from the wind and ii) so they exit the hive facing the break and, as Headfry said, then go vertically up to cruising altitude height. Thus they don't bother people as their flightpath is not invaded. So ensure the flightpath, if not a vertical trajectory, is unlikely to be "peopled".

Also, try to get a passive queen to breed from. I pootle about my own hive (nucleus)and the bees utterly ignore me, whereas in the other hive (swarmed), one vibration and the guards dash out and pester. So if you want bees from a nucleus as opposed to a swarm, source a nice docile but productive colony. Will be easier on the neighbours.

I've posted two signs on each windbreak. One is a "caution, bees", so you are making sure everyone has clear knowledge of the hive location, and the second is a "medical emergency" one. States it's unlikely to be stung if you do not disturb them, but what to do if you are stung, react badly or go into shock. I've put a map with both the lottie & village GP surgery highlighted and 999 instructions (e.g. state it's a bee sting). Even added the lat & long of the hive using my sat nav for ambulance to be able to find you (is the lottie hidden away?? is the lottie a large space where it's hard to see someone prostrate??). Too much? No, I think it's essential information and shows a dutiful level of responsibility to fellow 'lotters.

Finally, communicate all the good bits of knowledge you intend to employ to your neighbours... Important for them to gain and maintain their trust in you & your intentions from the outset. It'll only take one "No" and your plans could be scuppered. :-(

Good luck, let us know how it goes. :-)
P17B

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I am amazed that anyone involved with food growing should object to bees being kept on an allotment. Bees need all the help they can get at the moment. I have noticed in my garden that there have not been any honey bees for the last couple of years. Luckily we have many wild bees that seem to ensure we get decent crops of fruit and also vegetables that need pollination. I read somewhere recently that if the bees died out, we would also sollow them quite quickly.

I think the statistic is something like 3-4 years!!!

Almost there just have 1 more person to ask, all the rest have said great no probs. 1 of my neighbours, two plots down is a cypriot, he said that in his home country he used to have 80 hives!!, he's very keen on me having some bees, and said that he may well be taken by the bug to start again.

Really happy, not quite there but very close.............you'll have to excuse me I'm doing a waggle dance at the moment.

Xlent news. Fingers crossed for the last response.

I've just bagged a swarm for a second hive and several people in one of my local groups have been collecting swarms in the last 10 days also. There's still a very very good chance you could be up and running with a colony this summer.

Have you gone to a local group meet yet? They'll be your best bet to source a swarm so get in there. Won't take you long to get the hive sorted once green light flashes, so make sure you're lined up for the girls themselves! Ltrs.

P17B

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There are quite a few bee hives in the corner of our site and it is fenced and gated so no one can wander in.
I must admit it doesnt worry me, and so far I havent seen many bees and the few I have seen I wouldnt know if they are from there or not.
Hope you can have them.

and it goes without saying......I hope all works out well for you....we need more bees and beekeepers.
Good luck, so close now.
Lucky P17B we don't seem to have any swarms around here- I am waiting to fill hive two. You are so lucky to have so many swarms! Please send some over the border!
come in Boadicea.......your country needs you! well I do at least.

Iam a bit off topic here , but we have a bees nest in an area we need to walk through, they are nesting underground and we don,t want to hurt them ,but don,t want to be stung either!does anyone know what time they go to bed so we can collect our water , ! advice please!

I doubt that my hubby would let me keep bees,but i would be interested in learning about bee keeping.Where would i start?

Go to a local group meeting. All groups are currently active with apiary meetings so from the outset you will be able to see inside the hive and feel what it is like to be safey surrounded by bees. And take the hubby so you can win him over!!! If he's not fascinated by their behaviour, biology, placid nature and great by-products, trade him in.

Local Associations

Check that page out, and give your nearest group a ring and spend an afternoon with them. They'll probably talk you to death, but all for the greater good.
P17B

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Just to add my 10p worth with regard to honey and heyfever…

Highly recommend it, I consumed honey on a regular basis last year and my symptoms where much reduced. This year I have not bothered and I am a lot worse. Although this will be partly due to different pollen counts between the years there is evidence to suggest it has a beneficial effect. The most important thing is to consume local honey and on a regular basis. There are several scientifically proven and effective allergy treatments which work on very similar principles. There is even now a ‘vaccination’ for heyfever which involves taking tablets every day for 3-5 years. These tablets contain small (possibly increasing) amounts of tree pollen. This continued exposure to small amounts of the pollen allows the body to build up a tolerance to the pollen. The same applies to honey which contains small amounts of pollen from local plants. It’s not a cure but combined with your normal therapy it can really make a difference.


On last thing? is it exspensive?

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"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." - Aristotle (B.C. 384–322)

We mentioned above about flightpaths. That's the most aggravating thing for the girls and without that or any other direct interference, will just ignore you. If they do bump into you, they'll just come back for a nosey and wonder at what they unexpectedly hit. Just don't flap or run around.....just keep walking slowly and even the guards will pootle off when they realise they are not under attack. They are sweeties really.


So can you force the bees to divert their flight away from your footpath? Some soft fencing or tall plant in a pot or something? Or some pallets or other temporary object? Just to divert their flight into the nest entrance away from your to'ig and fro'ing. Make them go upwards quickly and they'll be above your heads. Simple fix and works a treat. Wont take them long to adjust and you can all live happily together no matter what time of day.

Will usually be early eve when they settle to bed though and things quieten down.

P17B

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There are no bee keepers on my allotment - and hardly any bees either it seems I would be very supportive and encouraging of anyone wanting to start one up, as I'm sure most of my fellow plot holders would be.

Go for it Mikey - I would definitely be all in favour, I love bees!!

Is it true that you can get 200 jars of honey from one hive?? That seems an awful lot to someone as ignorant about these things as me?!

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Thanks for link plot,will investigate further.

Moggssue, I am sure an old boy in the village where I kept my first lot bees said he got close on 200 jars and held a record for it.
It all depends on what nectar crops are about, and the weather. They grew lucerene in my village- fields of it, whole area would smell of clover! bliss and sooooo much honey in the hives, could hardly keep up with it!
lovely fine grain honey when it set (took ages to set) beautiful stuff!
It's rape (yuck) here in Oxon, not even much of that this year????
My bees are having to hunt hard for food this year, and the weather is ....pants!

GardeningIM......most bees don't like hair, they get caught and then frightened so might well sting!
as p17b states- try not to panic, and please don't wave your arms about!
Try to think of how that tiny little bee must feel ;-)

[quote=Headfry;247711]They grew lucerene in my village- fields of it, whole area would smell of clover! bliss and sooooo much honey in the hives, could hardly keep up with it!
lovely fine grain honey when it set (took ages to set) beautiful stuff!
It's rape (yuck) here in Oxon, not even much of that this year????
My bees are having to hunt hard for food this year, and the weather is ....pants!

QUOTE]

So, being nosey now sorry, what do you do with all your honey HF??

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

Hi Moggssue,

Well, when I was in the 'lucerene' area I would sell it at the door, village shop and village fair.

Here in Oxon, when I (if) I get any then I will sell it at door and maybe if I have enough, at the village fair, I also have a lady who has a shop and she waiting for some supplies!

All the beekeepers in this area that I know are struggling this year! It's quite a worry. I am not worried about the lack of 'sales' but more over the health of my girls!

thanks for the info p17b ,headfry,we will attempt to divert them or we will have to leave them in peace.Another question though , do they leave the nest at the end of summer,they are bumble bees.?