How much kit!

This is my second full year of being a bee keeper. I started off with one colony and very quickly acquired two more. Ever mindful of the logic that if you only have one colony and you lose it then you are no longer a bee keeper I though, with three, even as a novice I should come through the winter with at least one colony.

Well after the wet summer and cold winter I did manage to keep one colony, in fact all three came through in rude health. Now its one thing to have three colonies, its quite another to have to accommodate the resultant splits from artificial swarms. My three hives have resulted in four new colonies giving me seven at present.

Thankfully due to youtube and Hedgerow Pete, four nucs were quickly built to accommodate them. Two of these have since been upgraded into full sized hives as they are just so prolific.

One thing a new beek just does not realise is that you need far more brood frames and accommodation than you can possibly think. I went from one national hive last year with two (unused) supers to four this year plus four nucs and eight supers. That's just to accommodate my own stuff and doesn't factor in collecting swarms.

My one word of advice to new bee keepers is to build/buy/borrow lots of extra kit as rest assured its a horrid feeling when you do a hive inspection and you see a lovely cluster of queen cells and have absolutely nowhere to go kit wise.

I couldn't agree more. I'm in first year and I've gone from 1 to 3 hives and a nuc. I've been making kit like there's no tomorrow. I've been using OSB, it doesn't look the nicest but with a coat of paint its not bad. The bonus is that I can make a base, a lid and two brood boxes for under £30. Mind you that doesn't include the panel saw I bought.

what is osb?

OSB = one size box

prana vallabha said:

what is osb?

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Orientated strand board...a cross between chip board and plywood

OSB = one size box

Ha ha!

Oriented Strand Board. Thick 'wood shavings' layered and stuck together.

oliver90owner said:

OSB = one size box

Ha ha!

Oriented Strand Board. Thick 'wood shavings' layered and stuck together.

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Often referred to as Sterling board in the UK - Actually it's fairly moisture resistant and with a good coat of paint will last. Lot of hive roofs are made of this.

That's the stuff.. Last for years, in fact it out last exterior ply. 18mm for the boxes and 12mm for the base and lids (double laid with insulation in).

One of the reasons I went tbh is you don't need LOTS of kit, only lots of kit.

And DIY for everything means costs per hive are the cost of a liter of Bombay Sapphire.

Taught by a nun

I was started in bee keeping by a wonderful nun, Sr Ruth OSB - there OSB meant Order of St Benedict. I certainly would not want to construct hives out of nuns!!!

Thanks for the clarification.

Now in my 3rd year, started with a hive for my birthday in March 2011.........
10 days ago I had 39 boxes with bees in, 22 hives and 17 nuc boxes, peaked at 32 last year so not such a jump in year 3.
Still maintaining my objectives of having 10 'honey hives' and 4 that I can do splits and increases from.
Will sell a few nuc's, requeen and unite a few after harvest ready for the winter and to ensure young queens for next year.
I have just united 5 hives into my honey hives to try and take advantage of the decent weather by increasing the workforce.
I have taken over the garage and acquired 2 sheds for my 'boxes' and associated equipment.
Remember to factor in the cleaning, maintenance and making of equipment.