BeeKeeping

[widefat]

I attended a BeeKeeping class this weekend.
Great class - the instructor has been a keeper for around 45 years.
I'm making plans now for my first two hives next spring.

 

[Deere Dude]

A few months ago I had 3 friends went to a beekeeping forum and really enjoyed it, one of them said. They each ordered a few pounds of bees, which is a lot by the way, along with a queen.

One friend said he paid attention and set the queen in the hive with all the worker bees and all was going good, until the next day when they all just flew away. Never came back. I hope yours don't do that.

 

[XSFMED18D]

I've been keeping bees for about 7 or 8 years now. Up to about 30 to 40 hives depending on time of year. I would recommend purchasing a local 5 frame nuc rather than package bees. Both packages and nucs start getting sold off here in the next few months so reserve yours early. Find a mentor locally who can guide you thru some of the problems new beekeepers encounter. Good luck!

 

[widefat]

I've been keeping bees for about 7 or 8 years now. Up to about 30 to 40 hives depending on time of year. I would recommend purchasing a local 5 frame nuc rather than package bees. Both packages and nucs start getting sold off here in the next few months so reserve yours early. Find a mentor locally who can guide you thru some of the problems new beekeepers encounter. Good luck!

What races do you keep?

 

[widefat]

A few months ago I had 3 friends went to a beekeeping forum and really enjoyed it, one of them said. They each ordered a few pounds of bees, which is a lot by the way, along with a queen.

One friend said he paid attention and set the queen in the hive with all the worker bees and all was going good, until the next day when they all just flew away. Never came back. I hope yours don't do that.

Ouch - that hurts. But, it is a risk.

 

[XSFMED18D]

I have all of the 3 major races: Italians, Carniolians and some Russians. After a year though the new queens open mate with the drones of other races so in the end they all become mutts. I am not convinced there is genetic purity in the races as some people advertise. In the end I still recommend finding some locally adapted bees in the form of a nuc. They'll be mutts most likely.

 

[newbury]

I attended a BeeKeeping class this weekend.
Great class - the instructor has been a keeper for around 45 years.
I'm making plans now for my first two hives next spring.

Did they have anything to say about how zika may be affecting the bee population? I'm thinking with all the spraying for mosquitoes the populations in some areas might be wiped out.

Do you have supplies? There's a fairly nice small "1 man shop", Virginia Bee Supply, just north of Culpeper.

Have you gotten stung recently?

It might be a good idea to get stung to test your sensitivity to the sting. People change with age and it's a shame to be invested in a hobby only to find your going to swell up like a basketball if you get stung.

I've been trying to get back into beekeeping for two years (I've got 3 empty hives) but family responsibilities have resulted in my being 800 miles away from my retirement farm each spring.

 

[RobA]

+1 on the local nucs and finding a mentor. Local beekeeping clubs are a big help as well. Beesource.com has a message forum that has a tremendous amount of information.

 

[NorTracNY]

XSFMED18D and RobA are spot on. A single class will only go so far. You definitely should go with nucs and not packages. Going local is a major plus, and a mentor is key. Did you decide on 8 or 10 frame? Did the class review location? If you have neighbors with a pool, you need to understand the water source for your bees. I've been keeping bees for several years now, but even a beekeeper of 30+ years will tell you they learn new stuff every year.

 

[widefat]

Did they have anything to say about how zika may be affecting the bee population? I'm thinking with all the spraying for mosquitoes the populations in some areas might be wiped out.

Do you have supplies? There's a fairly nice small "1 man shop", Virginia Bee Supply, just north of Culpeper.

Have you gotten stung recently?

It might be a good idea to get stung to test your sensitivity to the sting. People change with age and it's a shame to be invested in a hobby only to find your going to swell up like a basketball if you get stung.

I've been trying to get back into beekeeping for two years (I've got 3 empty hives) but family responsibilities have resulted in my being 800 miles away from my retirement farm each spring.

Virginia Bee Supply - Yes! That's where I had the class.
Stung Recently - Yes! Several times this summer. Little B* yellowjackets.

 

[widefat]

XSFMED18D and RobA are spot on. A single class will only go so far. You definitely should go with nucs and not packages. Going local is a major plus, and a mentor is key. Did you decide on 8 or 10 frame? Did the class review location? If you have neighbors with a pool, you need to understand the water source for your bees. I've been keeping bees for several years now, but even a beekeeper of 30+ years will tell you they learn new stuff every year.

I am thinking medium 10 frame. Location? Yes, we talked about it. Here is a map of my place - What you cant see around the farm is mostly beef cattle, with several
corn, soy, etc within 3 or so miles. I am thinking about a spot by a creek, right next to my planned food plot. I can situate the hives so they get full sun, yet are in a depression surrounded by trees.
What do you think?

 

[TXCYCLE]

Widefat, that's a great looking place you have there, I'm sure your bees will do well. Provide a water source, they WILL take over your pool, dog's dish, water trough, etc. Takes a lot of water to make honey I learned. I had ten hives a few years ago. I kept water in an old bathtub with a burlap sack half in, half out of the water. Gave them a place to land and not drown.
Be prepared for some work, like livestock they have to be fed at times, watered as discussed, sheltered, and treated for diseases. That's what killed mine, I got mites in my hives and I discovered them too late to treat.
Have fun, it's a fascinating hobby. Read every book on the subject you can find, it will help.

 

[NorTracNY]

Looks like a good setup except for the fields around you. Hopefully you can find that mentor and hopefully the modern agriculture around you doesn't hurt the bees too much.

Getting stung by a yellowjacket isn't the same as a honeybee, but in regards to being alergic it could change at any time. It's probably a good idea to have epinephrine around. Good luck in bee keeping.

 

[KYErik]

As others have said- be sure to get a mentor. There are lots of good resources and even videos on the internet, but nothing as good as a person who can point things out on your hive. In terms of sensitivity, mine has decreased over time. I have been beekeeping for about 6 years. The first 15-20 stings were pretty bad (swelling that lasted for a week). The last 10 stings have involved much less swelling- so things can improve in that department. As others have said- things can also get worse.