Bee newbie

[Wandercreek]

I read a bunch of reviews and watched videos on YouTube about the flow hive before I bought it. It was a mixed bag. My thought was that I'd use it and a standard hive (no idea if standard hives have a name?) to start off and decide which I liked better.

The Amish community near our ranch has a see-through hive inside the barn/store. The hive has an access tube to the outside. Each time I would visit them, I'd stand there watching that hive work for a good long time. It was fascinating.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Great advise above. Some other things:

You cannot start a hive with the foragers you see around your yard. They know where they live, and will fly home. Honeybees need a queen to survive, and the queen stays in the hive. (unless mating or swarming) You can catch a swarm, which is most likely to occur during a heavy nectar flow.

Beekeeping for Dummies is a very good beekeeping book. I too have read several, and the Dummies book puts it in an understandable way for a beginner.

Definitely take a class or ask to assist another beekeeper to learn the ropes. As soar said, beekeeping is a lot more complex than you think. The bees will teach you that you know nothing!

Spring is the best time to start a hive. This gives them the spring, summer, and fall nectar sources to build up enough storage to survive the winter.

The flow hive is designed as a honey super. You would still need regular brood boxes underneath. The depth of the cells in the flow hive are too deep for a queen to lay eggs in. It would be much less expensive to buy a regular langsroth super to go over the brood boxes.

 

[Wandercreek]

You cannot start a hive with the foragers you see around your yard. They know where they live, and will fly home. Honeybees need a queen to survive, and the queen stays in the hive. (unless mating or swarming) You can catch a swarm, which is most likely to occur during a heavy nectar flow.

I guess this is what I meant. Since there were so many, probably thousands of them, I wondered if it would be likely that they would swarm around here.

 

[Maggiesdad]

If there are lots, and there are plenty of blooms in your area (4 mile radius) chances are their colony is close. Swarm relocation distance averages 800 meters, depending on circumstances.
Research beelining, catch a few then release in different locations. Plot the heading and triangulate the home colony. Can bee done if you have the time. Most folks opt to buy a package or nuc.

 

[soarwitheagles]

Wandercreek,

Have you any updates? Did ya catch of purchase any hives?

Please give us an update...

With thousands of bees foraging, I hope you can make or purchase a swarm trap and catch some swarms...then your initial costs are near zero!

Good luck!

 

[CLSranch]

WC now would be a good time to start educating yourself for next springs swarm season and you have the winter to build swarm traps and get a or 2 hives ready before you get the bee's.

 

[soarwitheagles]

Wandercreek,

I thought I would wet your appetite to catch some swarms...

Here's some pics of our 18th swarm caught in the last two months!

Enjoy!

 

[Happy Chooks]

That's a beautiful swarm!

 

[soarwitheagles]

Yes, I totally agree with you...beautiful indeed! Best of all, they have decided they like their new home and it appears as if they are here to stay...