Bees for the Garden

[SCOMAN]

Definitely one for the more upmarket garden but it may make it more accessible and lessen the risks for our bees.

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Beehaus

 

[Shewie]

Great idea, making it easy for folk to get involved.

I'd love to give it a go but I don't do bees, had a bad experience as a kid involving a cricket ball, a large conifer tree and about three hundred angry bees.

 

[locum76]

Doesn't look bad at all. Maybe a bit posh, expensive and bulky. It seems a bit big for one colony too.

 

[Harvestman]

There's usually a local beekeeping society that could provide loads of information if you are interested in this. Ours are really helpful, and usually turn up to local agricultural and countrysiude shows throughout the summer.

Get on the web and look for your local group.

 

[mochasidamo]

"The supply of bees is seasonal and their price may vary between 0.5p and 1.5p per bee depending on availability" ...about sums it up really. A Kenyan top bar hive can be had for £60 tops (or less with recycled timber). What's the condensation going to be like in these?

 

[Mikey P]

So, how do I encourage bumble bees (rather than swarms of honey bees!) in a smallish sub-urban garden? Can I create a good home for them? Can I favour them over wasps?

Haven't got £60 to spend, either.

 

[carnegos]

I started beekeeping last year and really enjoy it but do worry about everyone jumping on the honeybee bandwagon when all of our bees are struggling. I think that it would be great if we also tried to help the solitary bee and bumble bee populations.

I don't like the idea of plastic nest boxes, as mochasidamo says I'd worry about condesation. My western red cedar hive contains quite a bit of moisture from the bees driving the water content out of the honey and I'm sure moisture plays a large part in colony problems. Mesh floors seem to help with the airflow and keeping the moisture content down. There's also the ecological problem of using plastics over woods.

Mikey P, have a look here at making your own solitary bee house. It's cheap and often you can use bits and bobs already lying around in your garden.

Also for bumble bees you should have a look here.

Hope this is of help.

ATB
Robin

 

[locum76]

All you need to know about bumble bees.

 

[wildjim]

All you need to know about bumble bees.

Didn't know the bumble bee was in trouble, maybe not here in the US?

I was photographing flowers last week and the place was a buzz with bumble bees so i tried to photograph the flowers with bees on them ; )

The bumble bees seem docile as none attacked me while chasing them with the camera : )

 

[Mikey P]

Thanks guys! We get our new house in late May and bee house is on my list of projects.

 

[Nagual]

Didn't know the bumble bee was in trouble, maybe not here in the US?

I was photographing flowers last week and the place was a buzz with bumble bees so i tried to photograph the flowers with bees on them ; )

The bumble bees seem docile as none attacked me while chasing them with the camera : )

'Fraid so, wildjim. It's a global issue.

Cheers

 

[leaf man]

funny how things come up, i have been reading about honey bees extensively today, as in 5 hours of solid reading! just waiting for a reply from my local group
good thread with gud links, many thanks

 

[Oblio13]

Don't think I'd want an orange plastic and metal thing like that in our garden. Made five top-bar hives out of cedar, and have some Russian and some Italian bees. It's fascinating to watch their comings and goings. Only been stung a couple times, and it's not nearly so bad as with hornets and wasps.

 

[leaf man]

what plans did you use oblio13? how do you fair with pest control for them? i am going to a local community hive this saturday to get my first hands on day. could be great, could be a disaster, looking forward to it though

 

[carnegos]

Oblio, I too am interested in how you and your bees get on with the top-bar hive. I use a national myself but have been thinking of expanding my colony and using the top-bar hives.

 

[Tony]

I asked the farmer at the back of us for a little bit of land the other day with the intention of planting trees, extending the veg garden and having bees, it didn't happen though. I was looking forward to having bees in my trees

 

[Oblio13]

Here are the plans for Warre hives:

http://thebeespace.net/2008/07/30/introduction-warre-beehive-construction-guide/


We don't use any medications, we just sift powdered sugar into each hive body weekly. It makes mites fall through the screened bottom, and the bees can use it.

The bees seem to like the hives, but we've never been able to harvest any honey.

A friend and I have been trying for three years now. Bears have gotten them twice. This year we moved two to a suburban location, and surrounded the others by a chain link fence and an electric fence.