Honey Bees - Whats the craic?

[Ryecroft]

Our remaining hive is thriving by the way and ther orchard has been well pollinated.

Good news by the way, sorry forgot to say earlier.

 

[locum76]

So is this a good way to get into bee-keeping?

Coincidentally I have just started reading Bill Turnbulls book on beekeeping (light read admittedly, but may help me pick another hobby!).

So could I or more importantly, should I contact my local beekeeper and get this hive moved to a beekeepers hive? Or just leave it where it is - I do use this part of the garden quite a lot, so do my brothers kids and I dont want them disturbing the bees.

Help??

I'd just leave it where it is. You won't be able to get the queen out anyway. I reckon the colony will move on when the space gets too messy for them.

 

[FerlasDave]

Well not too long back I saw bees a couple of doors down from SWMBOs house. And I mean a whole swarm of them crawling round on the floor and up the wall. Then I noticed an 'ethnic gentlemen' trying to keep them inside a cardboard box and spitting water at them?!? Im not too familiar with bees but Im pretty sure this wasnt the best thing to do. I never saw bees there before either....

 

[locum76]

Getting them into a cardboard box is the first step to catching a swarm. If you get the queen in the box the rest will wait pending further instrcuctions. Usually you have to set the box so the bees crawl up into it (bees always crawl up the way apparently).

Once you've got the swarm in a selaed box you can carry it to where you want, usually a vacant hive, and just dump them in it.

I'm not sure about the spitting, It may an 'ethnic' way of dealling with such matters.

EDIT: Maybe he was spitting to keep bees out of his mouth...?

 

[FerlasDave]

That does make sense although hes left the box in a tree. :/

He had a jug of water, swilled it round his mouth then spat it out into the box? :S

 

[Greenbeast]

water can be a good way to control bees instead of the stress of a smoker (rather than thinking their house is on fire, they just think it's raining)
i use a spray bottle, perhaps he didn't have one to hand...

by the way, i've just started beekeeping but in a much more natural way with a simpler, cheaper style of hive (easily diy-able)
start here:Biobees

i built my hive for £45

 

[andyn]

I was going to post a new thread on bees, but will append to this thread instead. Hope you don't mind.

A friend who owns a shop in Camberley, Surry has had a bee hive established in the roof.

Does anyone know anyone who would be good to contact to do a live removal of the hive? He was going to get them killed but I've told him to hold off while we look to see if they can be moved?

I don't know much at all about hives, but reading this thread it sounds like if the queen can be moved the rest will follow?

Any advice would be great.
Thanks.

 

[Bazzworx]

If you go to the BBKA website and look under local associations you will be able to find the contact numbers for your local beekeepers, if you give them a phone they will be more than happy to collect the swarm if possible.

Hope this helps
Ben

 

[andyn]

Perfect, thanks Ben. Will pass the local keepers details on.