Beekeeping

[momomom]

Today I attended a one day introduction to beekeeping seminar designed to help one decide if this is something one wants to do and to know enough to put in orders and obtain needed supplies so one is ready to open operations in April if the answer is yes. My answer is very likely yes. This is the wonderful group I have joined

Comments

[kabuldur]

Hi Carla. My first comment on your lj! I do think we will have many things in common because you're thinking about getting bees, like me! Also, I'm a grandma and you're expecting to be one soon! I hope everything goes well. I saw you're very experienced in the area of breastfeeding etc, so that should hold you in good stead. Who knows, you may be busy with that right now!

I found out that there is a beekeeping club in my greater area, so may find out more about that in a couple of weeks. I'm still toying with the idea. Like you, I am retired. Would I be taking on too much? My parents are beekeepers, so I know a little about beekeeping, but may have to update my knowledge. Apparently there is a little beetle that bores its way into hives these days, and beekeepers have to block up tiny gaps to stop them getting in. We do not have the worst disease like you have yet, but I have seen wild bee numbers dwindle these past 12 mths. That's one motivation to get bees - to pollinate my veggie garden!

You have many good suggestions on here. Foundation is expensive and beekeepers need special equipment to get the foundation melted onto the wires on the frames. We used a car battery and wires when I was a kid and helped with the beekeeping. It takes some skill - just hot enough to melt the wax but not too hot so that it doesn't melt right through! The idea of the comb hanging down in a natural curve fascinates me. I read a while back about the bees forming their own comb, which would reduce beekeeping costs for small operations. I have thought about mashing the comb and hanging up in cheese cloth, but would have to make the area where I did that insect and ant-proof.

[momomom]

Hi Beth,

Beekeeping clubs are the best way to learn I suspect. The one here even shares the equipment for harvesting/extracting the honey but I suspect they are not into the top bar type hives.

They did mention the small beetle problem and some solutions in the class. If your club doesn't cover solutions let me know and I'll go back through my notes. It involved a screen area on the very bottom of the trap over a tray that holds oil to trap them as I recall from memory.

They talked a bit in the class about bees forming the comb by hanging in clusters together to space it out.

Carla