If the guys only check them 2 or 3 times a season, then who looks after them the rest of the time?
From April to end August we check each hive weekly. We are looking for signs that the bees may swarm ... and take action to prevent this (nobody thanks you if your bees swarm into their chimney!!). We also need to check the bees have enough room & enough food ... and we also are checking for disease (some diseases are notifiable).
If you fancy having bees it would be worth contacting a local beekeepers' association and asking to go along to an apiary visit. That way you'll be able to see what's involved and how to open a hive and handle the bees.
Hope this is helpful
Bee
Bees must gather nectar from two million flowers to make one pound of honey
Mark56 - Verbenas - I think so, but I'm trying to leave it as wild as possible so only trample round it once a month or so, for a weed. Different bees have diff flower preferences so my Foxgloves, round the back, get large bumble bees - whereas smaller species seem to prefer my Geraniums, Lavender etc.
There are stepping stones on the right that go across to the Hawthorn hedge, which has dozens of birds nesting in it all year round. I have a hole cut in it with feeders hanging inside, to try and protect them from the Sparrow Hawk a bit. I only planted it up June 2016 so, aside from rust and bunnies, it's starting to look nice. There are a lot of self seeded California Poppies which look nice - but don't seem to attract bees. They certainly prefer the Flanders Poppies and I leave those to seed as well.
Bee witched - nucs - ah, thank you. Haven't heard my neighbour call them that, but have heard from him when he has been splitting hives and trying to prevent swarms.
Mary370 - you can take bee keeping courses (my neighbour went to Sheffield for his) and that might be a good way for you to see if you think it's something for you. The problem is when they swarm they tend to do it somewhere else. As I said - I'm ok with it but it's not a nice sound and you get a lot of stray bees flying round the main ball. 2-3 times they have swarmed very high up in one of my trees and my neighbour had to get suited up and use a ladder in the garden behind to get at them more easily. I would think that the swarming would be the one thing that would potentially upset your neighbours. I'm not trying to put you off - but I'd thought a few years ago it would be nice to have bees - and then was put off once I'd experienced a swarm in my near vicinity. I prefer to supply the food
Tracey K.......I'm in agreement with you, I love the idea of keeping bees but the reality and possibility of swarming is a bit terrifying. ......I will be more than happy to continue to grow flowers to attract and feed them. I have what I believe to be a few solitary bees around as the spaces in my bug house are filling up, the holes seem to be covered with a bit of leaf.
I had my house extended a few years ago and, above the windows, there are these little red things set in the mortar which (so I'm told) are to let moisture out of the cavity. You end up with a couple of what looks like the open ends of rawl plugs showing - and every year I get solitary bees nesting in them. Not only do I see them flying in and out - you can see the plugs are filled in with soil.
Posts
Hi Mary,
If the guys only check them 2 or 3 times a season, then who looks after them the rest of the time?
From April to end August we check each hive weekly. We are looking for signs that the bees may swarm ... and take action to prevent this (nobody thanks you if your bees swarm into their chimney!!). We also need to check the bees have enough room & enough food ... and we also are checking for disease (some diseases are notifiable).
If you fancy having bees it would be worth contacting a local beekeepers' association and asking to go along to an apiary visit. That way you'll be able to see what's involved and how to open a hive and handle the bees.
Hope this is helpful
Bee
Few answers...
Mark56 - Verbenas - I think so, but I'm trying to leave it as wild as possible so only trample round it once a month or so, for a weed. Different bees have diff flower preferences so my Foxgloves, round the back, get large bumble bees - whereas smaller species seem to prefer my Geraniums, Lavender etc.
There are stepping stones on the right that go across to the Hawthorn hedge, which has dozens of birds nesting in it all year round. I have a hole cut in it with feeders hanging inside, to try and protect them from the Sparrow Hawk a bit. I only planted it up June 2016 so, aside from rust and bunnies, it's starting to look nice. There are a lot of self seeded California Poppies which look nice - but don't seem to attract bees. They certainly prefer the Flanders Poppies and I leave those to seed as well.
Bee witched - nucs - ah, thank you. Haven't heard my neighbour call them that, but have heard from him when he has been splitting hives and trying to prevent swarms.
Mary370 - you can take bee keeping courses (my neighbour went to Sheffield for his) and that might be a good way for you to see if you think it's something for you. The problem is when they swarm they tend to do it somewhere else. As I said - I'm ok with it but it's not a nice sound and you get a lot of stray bees flying round the main ball. 2-3 times they have swarmed very high up in one of my trees and my neighbour had to get suited up and use a ladder in the garden behind to get at them more easily. I would think that the swarming would be the one thing that would potentially upset your neighbours. I'm not trying to put you off - but I'd thought a few years ago it would be nice to have bees - and then was put off once I'd experienced a swarm in my near vicinity. I prefer to supply the food
Tracey K.......I'm in agreement with you, I love the idea of keeping bees but the reality and possibility of swarming is a bit terrifying. ......I will be more than happy to continue to grow flowers to attract and feed them. I have what I believe to be a few solitary bees around as the spaces in my bug house are filling up, the holes seem to be covered with a bit of leaf.
I had my house extended a few years ago and, above the windows, there are these little red things set in the mortar which (so I'm told) are to let moisture out of the cavity. You end up with a couple of what looks like the open ends of rawl plugs showing - and every year I get solitary bees nesting in them. Not only do I see them flying in and out - you can see the plugs are filled in with soil.
Aren't bees the most fascinating creatures.......I'm so excited that some have made use of the bug hotel