Beekeeping

[esdras]

Anyone here into beekeeping?

We started it last year and are finding it fun (I'm told that changes!).

No honey yet, this year could be the first?

[Memento Mori]

It's something I want to do myself in the future. Where do you have your hives? I'm hoping to have mine in the garden of the new house I buy, or failing that (not sure how big a garden I would need!) I will ask some farmers if I can stick one or two in the corner of a field.

[Scotty]

I will ask some farmers if I can stick one or two in the corner of a field.

Ideally an orchard if you have any nearby.

[Memento Mori]

Ideally an orchard if you have any nearby.

Good call.. I'd be helping them out.

[esdras]

It's something I want to do myself in the future. Where do you have your hives? I'm hoping to have mine in the garden of the new house I buy, or failing that (not sure how big a garden I would need!) I will ask some farmers if I can stick one or two in the corner of a field.

We had ours in the garden but we moved them into the field (we have a couple of fields) as once or twice the weather was such that they got a bit narky.

You'd want to give them a bit of space if you were going to have them in the garden.

[DirtNap]

Had two hives & was doing the course just as covid hit.
Found out the missus was alergic to them so they had to go.
Few other people visiting got stung and they were no where near them .
Were on a 1/2 acre so not massive but I wouldnt want them back unless I had a field .

[Scotty]

You'd want to give them a bit of space if you were going to have them in the garden.

As a nipper in the mid 80's I used to mow the lawn of a neighbour on a Saturday evening (for 50p, huge money to a 10 year old back then). She had 5-6 hives on a small enough lawn. The bees did not like the mower one bit! I'd push the mower 3 feet and have to run away for 20-30 seconds being chased be a clatter of bees before I could return. I remember the family of the house all standing inside the sitting room widow in hysterics!

Only got stung once though.

[CelticRambler]

I'm an involuntary beekeeper - have had a hive in the back wall of the house for about ten years now. Local beekeepers (and those on the Other Site) have all come to the same conclusion: only way to get at it is to demolish the bearing wall! Or kill them (which is why they're still there, alive and well).

Took an interest in it when felling a tree on the neighbour's land and discovered an active hive deep inside the (hollow) trunk. One of the aforementioned beekeepers came and took the hive away to help start her own organic apiculture business (now thriving), and watching the children enjoying absolutely fresh, unprocessed honey straight from the honeycomb prompted me to read up on the subject.

Building a top-bar hive is still on my "Must Get Around To It" list. Will see, then, if I can persuade the swarm in the wall to relocate to somewhere up the back of the garden.

[esdras]

I'm an involuntary beekeeper - have had a hive in the back wall of the house for about ten years now. Local beekeepers (and those on the Other Site) have all come to the same conclusion: only way to get at it is to demolish the bearing wall! Or kill them (which is why they're still there, alive and well).

It is quite possible that you've had multiple different colonies living in your walls as with varroa and other pests and diseases, an un-managed hive is unlike to survive that long.

[CelticRambler]

Quite likely. For the first few years, the bees were no bother at all, and I could work in the bit of garden below the entrance to the hive without any problems. Then all of a sudden they turned quite aggressive, and I was stung several times just walking through (but more often when I was using the strimmer or mower in that corner) - but it was like the situation described by Scotty: they'd chase me for a good 20-30 seconds if I didn't splat them first. The beekeeper said the hive was probably "under new management" and I came very close to exterminating it. But last year, the aggression disappeared, and this year they're well behaved again, so again a change in management, I presume.

[Dave Hedgehog]

Not currently but its definitely something I want to pursue down the line. We are lucky in that late last year we were able to move out of Dublin to the midlands and get a 1 acre site from my parents. We just started a self build this week so all going well by this time next year we'll be nearly done. Where the site is, there is a small field near the back of it that has been overgrown with rushes for over 20 years and that is also owned by my folks. The plan is in 3 or 4 years time when hopefully there is a bit more disposable income that Id clear the field and set it up as an apiary. There is a smallish forestry plantation beside that and my parents also have an orchard, albeit an orchard thats in need of some tlc, so lots of natural environments for them to do their business. The kids are mad into nature and all that so it would be great for them. Im also friends with a couple of beekeepers so have people i can refer to for guidance when the time comes.