I've made up my mind that I'm going to get at lest one hive of bees next year.Would it be smart to start with one hive .When would be the best time of the year to get them.And does anybody knows of anybody who sells bees .That has A good name.Thanks in advance for any help
new to beekeeping
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kenr,
how many places will you get an offer like that in 8 minutes?
this forum is great, you'll find a lot of good info here.
check out Brushy Mountain
http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=521
outside of North Wilksboro
they're kinda the "local supplier"
it's really worth a stop at their place if your in the area
good luck with bee's, they're fun
Dave
how many places will you get an offer like that in 8 minutes?
this forum is great, you'll find a lot of good info here.
check out Brushy Mountain
http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=521
outside of North Wilksboro
they're kinda the "local supplier"
it's really worth a stop at their place if your in the area
good luck with bee's, they're fun
Dave
Just started this year. Everyone says to start with at least two colonies-that way you will have a comparision.
Good Luck.What an offer iddee!!! Just had a lady give my son a nuc in honor of her mentor!!! She said the catch was, when we get in a position to, we must pass something on to someone else in just getting started. What a great way to pass it on!!!!
Good Luck.What an offer iddee!!! Just had a lady give my son a nuc in honor of her mentor!!! She said the catch was, when we get in a position to, we must pass something on to someone else in just getting started. What a great way to pass it on!!!!
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kenr, I know you won't get this until Mon. Most people advise to start with two hives. If you haven't started, it's hard to explain why. First off, I can't tell the conditions in your bee yard. There are no absolutes until it's too late. But you can compare two hives and treat the weak one.
Also if (for some reason) the queen dies in one colony you can get larvae from the other to make another queen. Also swap frames of honey to feed a weaker hive. And if one were to die out, you could split the strong hive.
I know this sounds like a dire forecast but it's not really this bad. There are all kinds of things in between that can be done too. This is just to give you an idea why we say start with two hives.
Now, if some nicely mannered, handsome young man from Greensboro were to offer me one hive, I wouldn't say, "No, I need two." Seriously iddee's cool and will tell you how to get the second hive or else he could bee your second hive. Save you in emergencies, etc. Let us know how it goes.
Best of luck,
Hawk
Also if (for some reason) the queen dies in one colony you can get larvae from the other to make another queen. Also swap frames of honey to feed a weaker hive. And if one were to die out, you could split the strong hive.
I know this sounds like a dire forecast but it's not really this bad. There are all kinds of things in between that can be done too. This is just to give you an idea why we say start with two hives.
Now, if some nicely mannered, handsome young man from Greensboro were to offer me one hive, I wouldn't say, "No, I need two." Seriously iddee's cool and will tell you how to get the second hive or else he could bee your second hive. Save you in emergencies, etc. Let us know how it goes.
Best of luck,
Hawk
I would seriously consider what you want to lift before you buy equipment. I know a lot of newbies that buy the "standard" beginners kit which is two deeps for brood and some shallows for supers and they quickly find they can't lift a deep when it's full of honey. I cut down all my deeps (9 5/8") to mediums (6 5/8") about four years ago and now I cut down all my 10 frame boxes (16 1/4" wide) to eight frame boxes (13 3/4" wide).
Here's why:
Weight full of honey:
10 frame deep 90 pounds.
10 frame medium 60 pounds.
8 frame medium 48 pounds.
Before you buy a lot of eqiupment think that over carefully.
The other issue is interchangability. All my frames are the same size. I can steal honey from supers to boost light hives I couldn't do that if the frames weren't all the same size.
Brushy Mt. has a wide assortment of eight frame eqiupment, including bee escapes, queen excluders, hive top feeders, screened bottom boards, Imirie shims, etc. They also have a nice assortment of medium depth eqiupment including medium nuc boxes etc.
Another thing to consider is how you intend to control Varroa mites. Some of those decisions will affect the eqiupment you want to buy. For example, a screened bottom board or small cell foundation instead of a standard bottom board or standard foundation.
If you think it through it may save you buying something you later decide isn't what you really wanted.
Here's why:
Weight full of honey:
10 frame deep 90 pounds.
10 frame medium 60 pounds.
8 frame medium 48 pounds.
Before you buy a lot of eqiupment think that over carefully.
The other issue is interchangability. All my frames are the same size. I can steal honey from supers to boost light hives I couldn't do that if the frames weren't all the same size.
Brushy Mt. has a wide assortment of eight frame eqiupment, including bee escapes, queen excluders, hive top feeders, screened bottom boards, Imirie shims, etc. They also have a nice assortment of medium depth eqiupment including medium nuc boxes etc.
Another thing to consider is how you intend to control Varroa mites. Some of those decisions will affect the eqiupment you want to buy. For example, a screened bottom board or small cell foundation instead of a standard bottom board or standard foundation.
If you think it through it may save you buying something you later decide isn't what you really wanted.
Michael wrote: "now I cut down all my 10 frame boxes (16 1/4" wide) to eight frame boxes (13 3/4" wide)".
I've been thinking about this; here in "hot Texas" would a 2 frame nuc made out of the "remainder" from cutting the 10 frame to 8 (I already have all mediums) be usable for trying to make "starter splits" or would it be best to try to scab 2 "remainders" together to make a 4fr nuc?
BTW anyone's comments welcome; not just Michael's!
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Lew
I've been thinking about this; here in "hot Texas" would a 2 frame nuc made out of the "remainder" from cutting the 10 frame to 8 (I already have all mediums) be usable for trying to make "starter splits" or would it be best to try to scab 2 "remainders" together to make a 4fr nuc?
BTW anyone's comments welcome; not just Michael's!
Lew
I just knocked off the little ends and reused the side so I wasted 2 1/2" which got broken anyway.
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/8FrameCutdown03.jpg
It's not quite enough to make a 2 frame nuc unless you put two together. First of all, there is the "starting off" beespace which you lost and second of all a typical 13 3/4" 8 frame is not exactly two frames smaller by dimensions. In other words there is a little more extra space in left over in an 8 frame hive with eight frames in it than in a 10 frame hive. A 2 frame nuc would be 4 1/4" wide (outside) at least and 5 1/4" doesn't hurt. I have a lot of 2 frame nucs and love them for banking one queen or a mating nuc for a queen cell I find or one I grafted (or "graftlessed"
![]()
).
The only waste was two 2 1/2" pieces of wood that broke when I took it apart.
See more pictures here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/8FrameCutdown03.jpg
It's not quite enough to make a 2 frame nuc unless you put two together. First of all, there is the "starting off" beespace which you lost and second of all a typical 13 3/4" 8 frame is not exactly two frames smaller by dimensions. In other words there is a little more extra space in left over in an 8 frame hive with eight frames in it than in a 10 frame hive. A 2 frame nuc would be 4 1/4" wide (outside) at least and 5 1/4" doesn't hurt. I have a lot of 2 frame nucs and love them for banking one queen or a mating nuc for a queen cell I find or one I grafted (or "graftlessed"
The only waste was two 2 1/2" pieces of wood that broke when I took it apart.
See more pictures here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
Thanks Michael
I have a jigsaw (or at least that's what we called them as kids; not hand held but has a table & both ends of the blade are mounted?) that has pretty thin blades. Most of the boxes I have are unassembled as yet; bought 40 hoping for "a big honey flow & catching lotsa swarms, etc." that didn't happen. Also the boxes came from Dadant (don't appear to be oversized compared to some used boxes I got) & the frames from Kelley & I have almost room for 11 frames so I may have a little "extra room to play with." Think I'll cut one & see how it works out for an 8 & a 2. I'll let yall know.
Lew
I have a jigsaw (or at least that's what we called them as kids; not hand held but has a table & both ends of the blade are mounted?) that has pretty thin blades. Most of the boxes I have are unassembled as yet; bought 40 hoping for "a big honey flow & catching lotsa swarms, etc." that didn't happen. Also the boxes came from Dadant (don't appear to be oversized compared to some used boxes I got) & the frames from Kelley & I have almost room for 11 frames so I may have a little "extra room to play with." Think I'll cut one & see how it works out for an 8 & a 2. I'll let yall know.
Lew
And start reading all the good beekeeping books.
You've got all winter and can really get a good preparation. I first read The beekeeper's handbook by Sammataro. Check Amazon used books and Half.com.
Other great books for reading. Search this site for "good books" , "beekeeping books" , etc. So much to learn just from this site. So learn to use the search function. Good luck!
You've got all winter and can really get a good preparation. I first read The beekeeper's handbook by Sammataro. Check Amazon used books and Half.com.
Other great books for reading. Search this site for "good books" , "beekeeping books" , etc. So much to learn just from this site. So learn to use the search function. Good luck!
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