What now!!

[BarnetBees]

Hi All
Just getting into the idea of Beekeeping.
At the moment I am reading ''The BBKA Guide to Beekeeping'', (half way through).
I understand that the 'season' is coming to an end now.
Just wondering what else I can do??
Do I think about joining a local assocation now, or later?
The local association's 'Beginners Course' is over and are asking if I want to sign up for 2015.
Is there any instructional DVD's that I could get to help me along??
Looking through 'YouTube' and learning a little.
Appreciate your help/advice
Terry

 

[demig]

Hi,

I too got into beekeeping towards a season's end which was no bad thing. It gave me time to join the local association, attend winter meetings and make new beekeeping friends before the new season started which proved to be invaluable. I recommend joining your local group and making those contacts, once you have bees and they swarm for the first time you'll be needing their help

The Haynes beekeeping manual is excellent as well, loads of good photos and clear instructions, well worth a read over winter.

Iain

 

[alanf]

At the moment I am reading ''The BBKA Guide to Beekeeping'', (half way through)....

Do I think about joining a local assocation now, or later?
The local association's 'Beginners Course' is over and are asking if I want to sign up for 2015...

Bees are active on a seasonal basis, courses generally run in Spring, sometimes starting with classroom sessions in winter. There's no real substitute for seeing beekeeping first hand and having local contacts. I'd definitely recommend the local BKA, there are talks and social sessions where you can make contacts before getting bees or even before the formal course. Joining for the rest of this year is unlikely to be the full year fee - most run Jan-Dec, but local rules vary so ask.

A big choice, for instance, is hive type. A lot of US or continental material defaults to Langstroth. Nothing wrong with it, but if you need local supplies in a hurry and everyone around you could only offer National frames you're on your own. Most local associations reserve swarms collected for beginners, at no or nominal cost. If you want to improve your "stock" later with bought in queens that's a lot cheaper than buying a colony outright.

 

[enrico]

More than anything, research a good bomb proof bee suit and ask for it for Christmas! Everything else can wait but if you want to have a look at someone else's bees then your own bee suit is pretty much essential. Spend time looking for a good one and don't buy cheap from china. Use a good dealer such as sherrif or thornes etc.
then.....get hands on experience in the spring with someone who keeps bees. It just might not be the sport for you and at the moment you have only spent out on a bee suit which you can always resell. Then.....buy two of everything, hives etc. so start budgeting now, getting started is expensive.
Good luck
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi All
At the moment I am reading ''The BBKA Guide to Beekeeping'', (half way through).
...............Just wondering what else I can do??

Follow their advice and buy a box of matches - then use them to burn the book and buy a decent one

try these threads http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30086

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25234

get on the 2015 beginners course it will probably start with theory in the new year then practicals in the spring.

Start thinking about what hive you are going to go for then maybe grab some bargains in the winter sales/cspring conventions

 

[BeeJayBee]

More than anything, research a good bomb proof bee suit and ask for it for Christmas!

And make sure you get one that's big enough to wear, and to work in, over a full set of other clothes. You don't want to strain zips because they can, and will, pull apart at the worst possible moment. It's better to wear a too-big suit than one that's too small.

Sign up for a course before it gets fully booked and, maybe, you could read forum posts from beginning to end. It'll probably take you weeks of dedicated reading, but you'll learn a lot that will dispel some of the myths handed down from one beekeeping author to another.

 

[alanf]

And free reading...

Thorne are the largest supplier in the UK, their website on .co.uk is worth a look for latest prices of supplies. They have a pdf version of their annual catalogue free for downloading. I'm not saying they are the only supplier, certainly not the cheapest and there are areas they don't cover such as poly hives. Treat the catalogue is an illustrated guide to equipment and terminology, a handy reference to a more or less orthodox view of beekeeping in the UK.

 

[itma]

Join your local association. Its cheap if you don't have bees (no insurance, etc). However, you may find they run only one 'membership year' so if definitely taking up the hobby, join properly at the start of their year. Association should have loan suits, etc.


Standard advice - get bees around your ears, ideally get stung, and decide whether it is for you or not BEFORE laying out lots of money.
Don't rush to spend money. (There are midwinter sales, apart from anything else.)


Pity you bought that flashy but rubbish book!
Recommended titles include the Haynes manual of beekeeping and Ted Hooper's very old fashioned (but wise) Guide to Bees and Honey.
Try your library before settling on books as being worth buying.
A decent association should have a decent library …
Check out the forum section dealing with books.


… and take ANYTHING on YouTube with an enormous pinch of salt. There is a lot of random-redneck rubbish there, and as a beginner you may not always recognise it for what it is.

 

[midnight sun]

Follow their advice and buy a box of matches - then use them to burn the book and buy a decent one

 

[BarnetBees]

Follow their advice and buy a box of matches - then use them to burn the book and buy a decent one

Well!! Thank you all for the comments/advice/recommendations. Very interesting and sometimes funny comments.
First of all I dont need the matches because I only got it from the library! But have taken note of the books and will be going to the library tomorrow.
Have already been in touch with local BKA and have arranged a meeting at the local apiary next Saturday, weather permitting.
Just have to get me a suit. I am only little, but will have a good look around and see what they have!!
Thanks again for all your help/advice. I appreciate it. Lots to be getting on with.

Terry

 

[theeggman]

to the forum Terry,

You've started the correct way, ask any questions you like and pick the answers that seem to be right for you. Get in amongst some bees before you spend any pennies, it can be daunting at first. At the apiary meeting don't be afraid to ask questions, beekeepers will talk about bees for hours in fact you can't stop them (us).

Tim.

 

[BarnetBees]

Thanks theeggman.....noted!!

 

[alldigging]

Well!! Thank you all for the comments/advice/recommendations. Very interesting and sometimes funny comments.
First of all I dont need the matches because I only got it from the library! But have taken note of the books and will be going to the library tomorrow.

Write a review if your library lets you. Ours have review cards they paperclip into books.

 

[theeggman]

And make sure you get one that's big enough to wear, and to work in, over a full set of other clothes. You don't want to strain zips because they can, and will, pull apart at the worst possible moment. It's better to wear a too-big suit than one that's too small.

Sign up for a course before it gets fully booked and, maybe, you could read forum posts from beginning to end. It'll probably take you weeks of dedicated reading, but you'll learn a lot that will dispel some of the myths handed down from one beekeeping author to another.

I bought 'cheap suits' off fleapay and they did the job BUT they are thick and heavy, given this last summer I couldn't see because of the rain running down my spec's. We've have now got lightweight suits from B B with the BBKA discount which wash and dry in a very short time and seem to be bomb proof.

If you're going to attend as many Apiary meetings as possible, which we suggest is a good idea, the ability to wash and dry your beesuit PDQ is very useful.

Tim.

 

[BarnetBees]

Keep the ideas rolling in, believe me there all going into my brain box!!

theeggman....thinking of getting an off white number!!

 

[mintmoth]

I'm at the same point you are, BB, just getting into the idea of keeping bees. If you enjoy reading, there are loads of interesting books that you can get from the library, free or very cheap if you have a Kindle, or second hand for literally pennies plus postage on @mazon. I find most interesting the books people write about their own experiences keeping bees, because they will write about the things that go wrong as well as the things that go right, and that's all useful info to absorb.
And of course, there are fascinating threads on here on probably every topic you might have a question about. All good reading.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Keep the ideas rolling in, believe me there all going into my brain box!!

theeggman....thinking of getting an off white number!!

Don't buy a suit until you have handled Bees, i have had Beginners all kitted out in their new £125 full suits , then to run away from a 14x12 hive of 70,000 bees becasue the bees were a bit miffed we had disturbed then with a thunder storm close by and never to be seen again

so try to borrow a suit for the first practical from the association you are going to do the course with ,they normally have a few for taster days etc

if you buy your suit via an association then they can normally get you a 20 -25% from some of the main suppliers, and if like me you don't fit the standard range of suits then both suppliers only charge 10% extra for a bespoke suit, Alternative I know my association takes all the beginners to the trade events in March, so they can try on the suits for size (and still get the discount)

 

[BarnetBees]

Mintmoth......the libraries where I am have quite a few books for me to be getting on with!!

MuswellMetro....Can you mention Associations on here??
I got in touch with an association in North London, I am going up to their apiary Next Saturday morning!!
terry

 

[Fatbee]

All good advice so far.
I got in to beekeeping because I've always been fascinated by insects and the natural environment so before worrying about hives types etc actually study the life cycle of bees and how they operate. And they interact within their environment and the weather. They are actually quite simple but by keeping them in boxes we make it more complicated. I've often thought 'silly bees why are they doing that they're not supposed to' but when thought through there is usually a simple reason. If you understand bees beekeeping is far simpler. What too many beginners fall in to is not understanding the bee and just get a little obsessed by honey. It's should always be the bee first; honey second