Starting in September

[Human Beeing]

If you get bees now and don't have a mentor or someone to sort them out for winter you may aswell throw your money on the fire.

Do you have any idea what to feed them and how ?
What about varroa treatment if it hasn't been done ?
Do you have an apiary set up waiting ?
If your putting them at home have you thought about your neighbours people can be funny.
What equipment do you have ? Any idea what you will need ?
A lot more to it than a wooden box and some bees.
Are there any restrictions on your property regarding keeping bees ?

I am looking for a mentor. Re Varroa, I know she drizzled a treatment across them which seemed to be sufficient to make them groom but I wouldn't be looking to do this without a mentor to help.
The hive comes with a top feeder which she uses through the winter - again I would have some learning to do.
I was planning on the bottom of the garden although my dad has some unused land where he hardly goes and my brother also has a large, rarely-used garden he said I can use so I had those penciled in as backups.
Re at home, we have a 12 foot tall, thick hawthorn hedge so the advice I've read is that I can point the entrance towards that and the bees will fly mostly upwards thereby not bumping into people. Although there is lawn so I wasn't sure if I risk annoying them with the mower.
Re equipment, she's getting rid of everything and offered a cedar national hive plus a full colony, suit, feed, jars, treatments, tool, feed, and other bits, for £150 so it seemed like I should bite her hand off really. If I lost the bees, the other stuff would be worth the price.
Good point about easements and wayleaves though, I haven't checked that.

It's just a box of insects.

 

[Nige.Coll]

It's far from just a box of insects.

If that's your true thoughts maybe it isn't the hobby for you.
I haven't met a beekeeper that thinks that.

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[Human Beeing]

It's far from just a box of insects.

If that's your true thoughts maybe it isn't the hobby for you.
I haven't met a beekeeper that thinks that.

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I've got a bite. Now frantically reeling in...

 

[BrianO]

I've got a bite. Now frantically reeling in...

OKay... not sure what you want to be reeling in, or why ???

Somehow get the feeling advice will be wasted here and you will ignore it anyway.

 

[Matt77]

Not altogether sure that's the best way to ask for advice to be honest.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Lol
That wasn't a bite.


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[Nige.Coll]

However she pulled out of the sale, concerned about my lack of experience.

hmmmm not everyone shares your optimism or sense of humour.

 

[B+.]

Lets try to be a little positive / encouraging shall we? (We tried common sense and it didn't work).
If he gets a good mentor and does exactly as he's told when he's told to do it and nothing else, he may just walk away with a good deal. I am still a bit concerned about the "box of insects" attitude but, once he sees inside a hive and learns how fascinating they can be, once he's done a beginners course and taken a few stings (allergy is still a concern), he may just make a half-decent beekeeper. To give the guy some credit, he's obviously thought about what he wants to do and is as keen as mustard. Lets see if we can stop him from making a complete hash of things with some good advice (like we've been trying to do all along)

 

[Human Beeing]

Lets try to be a little positive / encouraging shall we? (We tried common sense and it didn't work).
If he gets a good mentor and does exactly as he's told when he's told to do it and nothing else, he may just walk away with a good deal. I am still a bit concerned about the "box of insects" attitude but, once he sees inside a hive and learns how fascinating they can be, once he's done a beginners course and taken a few stings (allergy is still a concern), he may just make a half-decent beekeeper. To give the guy some credit, he's obviously thought about what he wants to do and is as keen as mustard. Lets see if we can stop him from making a complete hash of things with some good advice (like we've been trying to do all along)

The "box of insects" comment was simply playing devil's advocate to Nige.Coll who suggested that was my attitude in the first place. I really do appreciate all the advice so I've put in an order for a brand new Flow Hive which will arrive in March by which time I hope to be an expert.

Do you know if that will ship with bees in it already?

I am joking. But I do appreciate the advice, that bit is for real.

 

[madasafish]

My advice is simple.
FACTS
Bees are worth money.
Beginners make mistakes.
Winter is a time when a serious mistake can and probably will be fatal.

Conclusion

If you start off as a newbie in winter and cock it up you'll probably kill your bees and waste your money.
You will certainly have 4-5 months where you can do nothing useful - and if you try , you may make a fatal error.
You won't see much of your bees until Spring.

If you start in spring, it's warmer and errors can be rectified. And you will actually see your bees. Every day.

 

[BrianO]

Fair Nuff !

I would change my advice to basically getting 2 hives at full strength of those insect things , dump one in on top of the other , feed with scrambled egg pollen patties, put 10 supers on and kill the queen.

Then wait for the honey to flow in, this time next year, you'l be a millionaire !

 

[Human Beeing]

Brian that must be for your Irish bees. English bees prefer varroa mite sausages. We have a special web site where you can buy them, called beebay. Everyone's a winner.

P.S. Seriously though I did have to Google whether those pollen patty things really exist.

 

[Nige.Coll]

The "box of insects" comment was simply playing devil's advocate to Nige.Coll who suggested that was my attitude in the first place. I really do appreciate all the advice so I've put in an order for a brand new Flow Hive which will arrive in March by which time I hope to be an expert.

Do you know if that will ship with bees in it already?

I am joking. But I do appreciate the advice, that bit is for real.

At no point did I suggest that was your attitude.
I gave you the facts about starting late in a bad season.
You said they were a box of insects same as you said on another thread you have been ignoring advice since 1971.

Now you got a bite.
Don't try and shift the blame for your silly comment onto me.


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[Human Beeing]

At no point did I suggest that was your attitude.
I gave you the facts about starting late in a bad season.
You said they were a box of insects same as you said on another thread you have been ignoring advice since 1971.

Now you got a bite.
Don't try and shift the blame for your silly comment onto me.


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Ok it was just a light-hearted response to what u said and not intended to offend anybody. Thanks everyone for your help and advice.