HELP NEEDED from Beekeepers : where should I put the new bees?
We have been thinking of getting bees on our homestead for a couple of years now.
I even went on a short introduction to beekeeping course some time ago. But we haven't managed to find the opportunity to make it happen so far.
However some friends of ours have now offered us their bees and hive. So it looks like the time for bees is now 🌺
So we have got to get ready in a bit of rush as they want to bring the bees over as soon as possible.
The first question I have is where is the best place to put them?
The previous owners of our property had bees about 20 years ago and the stands are still there. This is in our side field about 200m from the house but it has become overgrown of late as we have rather left that field to nature...
I could clear it again to use the stands that are in there but we planted a quite a few trees in that small field about 5 years ago so it would be rather shaded.
There are quite few other possible locations around the homestead but the one I am homing in on is an unused spot behind the polytunnel.
This is a quiet area that doesn't get mush foot traffic or disturbance and is more or less south facing.
My only concern is whether the polytunnel would be too much of a confusing and disorienting obstruction for the bees.
Any steemit beekeepers out there that can give advice on this?
If this isn't a good location for the hive what are the 'selection criteria' for choosing hive locations?
Thank you in advance for any beekeepers who can help with this.
[Bee image from pixabay - Creative Commons CC0, other images my own]
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We've had bees at the farm where I live and I don't think an obstruction is too much of a concern. It can actually help protect them and provide privacy. But I was not the bee lady so take my words with a grain of salt..... That said, I'm gonna Resteem this in hopes that it'll help you find more qualified folks to help you. I'd say just use the old infrastructure and do what you can to give them some more bee food (wildflowers, multipurpose flowering trees etc). I think it'll go fine ! Anyone else wanna chime in?
Thanks for this @ecoknowme, and thank you for the resteem.
Sounds like the chosen spot may be good.
In preparation for bees we have been busy planting a lot more flowers and herbs this year. So hopefully the bees will be happy with what's on offer at our floral restaurant 😊
That's great! And if you have an concerns of colony immunity. I took a Mycoremediation course with Paul Stamets while he was in the middle of starting his BEE research regarding Fungi. Basically, you can grow fungi of different types and the bees will come and Eat the mycelium to get extra nutrients and medicinal compounds to boost their health, just like they would in the wild. Anyway, it CAN be very easy to grow fungi for yourself and extra for them, so if you feel like experimenting, in addition to the flowers, I'm happy to hook you up with info, if not, just thought I'd mention it. Cheers! @pennsif looks like you'll be having a sweet time either way.
Hi @ecoknowme, that does sound interesting about the mycoremediation. I would be interested in more information on that. Thank you.
Sure I'll write out an article with the overview and resources to get started, cheers @pennsif !
The location by the poly tunnel is good in my humble opinion the tunnel will direct the bees to circle up and over the structure reducing collision with people and provide more direct sunlight. The poly tunnel will also give the bees a much larger land mark to guide them back to the hive. The original location seems to need a lot of work to reclaim for the hive but that is something you will need to choose. This link here has a lot of information http://beesource.com/
Contact @daddykirbs for a beekeeping badge graphic and he has bee experience too. :)
Hi @carpenterbee, it sounds like the position behind the polytunnel will be good. Thanks for the link to beesource.com - sound good stuff there.
Your very welcome, I am glad to bee of some help to you. Peace and have a great day!
😊
Where are you located pennsif (nevermind, just saw you're in whales - shouldn't be such a problem)? I believe by the polytunnels would be a fine location. However, if you're in a very warm climate like I am (in the summers only) I would be concerned about TOO MUCH heat in the afternoon direct sun. That is something to consider. I do believe they say it's best to face the entrances to the south. It's good for the bees to get the morning sun also. But it's not bad for them to have the shade. Once you have more hives (and, I bet you will) it could be a good idea to have some in the old bee locations and by the polytunnel! I am sure that the polytunnel will not confuse them much. :D You can always move them if it doesn't work out.
Thanks for this @farmstead. We have some very large (200+ year old) trees around that cast shade at various times of the day, so the proposed hive location won't have full-on sun all day.
I'm hoping one day to get a few hives in different locations for added resilience - although that will be a bit of the way down the track yet.
It is okay to put them under a few big trees to give them partial shade, but don't keep them in a spot that is surrounded with a lot of brush. It reduces the airflow around the hive and makes it harder for them to control the humidity. In the summer they need to move a lot of air in and out of the hive to cure the honey and in the winter they need the ventilation to prevent moisture buildup. I like a spot with southeast exposure and a little afternoon shade. Beekeepers who have hive beetle problems often have better luck with full sun locations.
You can put them near the poly tunnel, just leave about 3 m of clear space in front of the hive for take-off and landing. Be sure to make the hive stand level from side to side and pitched forward just a bit.
Thanks for this most useful information @professorbromide. I'll make sure the area around the hive is kept clear.
Yeah that was another counter I forgot about. One issue we did have was that nicely nestled hives enjoyed the protection from the sun and rain, but in long cold drizzly months the 'protection' became a hazard since the moisture buildup made it a cold an uncomfortable environment for them. @professorbromide sounds like he knows the deal better than I, but I had observed the same. So listen to him and don't make the same mistakes we did here! Wishing you full honey pots and happy bees @pennsif ! Still working on the bee/fungi article. should be soon. Cheers @ecoknowme
Thank you.
I have no advice on location but I am looking forward to seeing your posts once you have your hive!
Thank you. I'll bee sure to post more 😊
Har har har :)
Might want to talk with Blake Kirby @daddykirbs he has a nice set up at his place.
Thanks, will do.
@carpenterbee nailed it! That poly tunnel will help get them up and over head, and the sunny location will help with small hive beetle if you have them in your area. My only other advice is to get a minimum of two colonies. That way if something happens to one and it goes queenless you aren't scrambling for a queen, just rob a frame of eggs out of the other and let nature take care of it.
Thank you for the extra tips @uncleharley. I hope to get two hives as soon as possible - two is one, and one is none etc 😉
Search you tube for walk away split, fatbeeman has a good video on it, it's the easiest method for a new beekeeper to get more colonies
Thank you @uncleharley - I'll check that out.