I would keep the bees mainly to provide them with a warm & safe home and, hopefully, to fill my garden with pollinators. I would not be looking to produce honey (I'm not that fond of the stuff) & would leave it for the bees to feed on over the winter. I would not be looking to disturb the hive / smoke the bees / remove queen bee cells / clip the queen bee's wings - or do anything else to disturb their natural cycle. They would be allowed to grow their honeycombs in a natural way - downwards (I think). Monty mentioned a 'top bar hive' so I imagine that is intended to be a more natural hive.
I live out in the sticks and swarming (part of the natural bee cycle for producing new colonies) would not be a problem here (lots of trees etc around for them to make new homes in). Swarming is much more of a problem for urban bee keepers where they are highly likely to come into contact with people and their houses. There has been a bit of press coverage about that recently - not good for bees to be getting a bad press...
I've done a bit of research - loads more to do before I make decision. Quite a bit on the internet if you Google 'natural bee keeping' or similar.
Are you thinking about it too Jo?
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I looked into keeping bees a few years ago but was put of by the sheer cost of buying a hive and all the protective gear which came in at shed loads of euros so I gave up because we don't use that much honey anyway.
However, the idea of keeping them purely to provide a home for them to live and pollinate things really does appeal so I shall look again - but not for this garden now. Planning a move when OH retires so it can wait till then.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Yes Obelixx the cost of hives, protective gear, smokers, centrifuges etc can soon mount up. That is another positive about just providing a hive & not worrying about honey production - you just don't need a lot of that stuff.
Monty didn't say whether or not he is hoping to harvest honey - will be interesting to watch his journey
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Seems you have to be a bit more pro-active than just providing a hive and hoping the bees do well cos without care they're likely to die. Food for thought and loads more research.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I don't know how pro active you need to be - this is what I'm trying to research. I did, however, find this site and this page in particular to be of interest regarding some of the differences between conventional & natural bee keeping:
No I didn't see it Jo - I've only seen 2 posts - one about 2 swarms of bees in someone's garden & the other from a mum worried because bees had made a home under her decking - but I don't think there were any arguments ensuing from either post.
Perhaps you could post a link if you find it again please?
I certainly have no intention of getting into arguments about the rights and wrongs of different methods of beekeeping. I just know I don't want to have a hive if I have to manage it in the 'traditional' way. If, however, there is an alternative, safe, hands off, bee-centred approach I can adopt - this is what I would aim for - hence the research.
I cannot help thinking that it must be possible. Bees have been making hives quite naturally for millennia without any intervention from man...
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I would like to see a change from 'professional' looking gardens, and have more features showing small household gardens and yards.
We seem to shown acres of cultivated woodland next to tiered immaculate lawns with quarry sized rockeries and ponds big enough to float a yacht, but most of us who watch the programme have a small space and not many hours to work on it. I need advice on the type of plants that work well in my garden, and back yard that don't need to much work, and suit the area I live in.
I do like to see these huge sprawling gardens, but not everyone has the space to grow the plants that are featured in the programme.
That is one of the reasons I like the Beechgrove - it is much more 'domestic'. I do love to see these immaculately kept huge gardens but I know I would never have the time, patience, money, energy or inclination to keep them.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
Posts
It's something I'm thinking about Jo47.
I would keep the bees mainly to provide them with a warm & safe home and, hopefully, to fill my garden with pollinators. I would not be looking to produce honey (I'm not that fond of the stuff) & would leave it for the bees to feed on over the winter. I would not be looking to disturb the hive / smoke the bees / remove queen bee cells / clip the queen bee's wings - or do anything else to disturb their natural cycle. They would be allowed to grow their honeycombs in a natural way - downwards (I think). Monty mentioned a 'top bar hive' so I imagine that is intended to be a more natural hive.
I live out in the sticks and swarming (part of the natural bee cycle for producing new colonies) would not be a problem here (lots of trees etc around for them to make new homes in). Swarming is much more of a problem for urban bee keepers where they are highly likely to come into contact with people and their houses. There has been a bit of press coverage about that recently - not good for bees to be getting a bad press...
I've done a bit of research - loads more to do before I make decision. Quite a bit on the internet if you Google 'natural bee keeping' or similar.
Are you thinking about it too Jo?
I looked into keeping bees a few years ago but was put of by the sheer cost of buying a hive and all the protective gear which came in at shed loads of euros so I gave up because we don't use that much honey anyway.
However, the idea of keeping them purely to provide a home for them to live and pollinate things really does appeal so I shall look again - but not for this garden now. Planning a move when OH retires so it can wait till then.
Yes Obelixx the cost of hives, protective gear, smokers, centrifuges etc can soon mount up. That is another positive about just providing a hive & not worrying about honey production - you just don't need a lot of that stuff.
Monty didn't say whether or not he is hoping to harvest honey - will be interesting to watch his journey
Well! I did a bit of a google about Monty's hive design and found this - http://www.bbka.org.uk/members/forum.php?t=7594
Seems you have to be a bit more pro-active than just providing a hive and hoping the bees do well cos without care they're likely to die. Food for thought and loads more research.
I don't know how pro active you need to be - this is what I'm trying to research. I did, however, find this site and this page in particular to be of interest regarding some of the differences between conventional & natural bee keeping:
http://www.naturalbeekeepingtrust.org/Bee-centred-vs-conventional-beekeeping
No I didn't see it Jo - I've only seen 2 posts - one about 2 swarms of bees in someone's garden & the other from a mum worried because bees had made a home under her decking - but I don't think there were any arguments ensuing from either post.
Perhaps you could post a link if you find it again please?
I certainly have no intention of getting into arguments about the rights and wrongs of different methods of beekeeping. I just know I don't want to have a hive if I have to manage it in the 'traditional' way. If, however, there is an alternative, safe, hands off, bee-centred approach I can adopt - this is what I would aim for - hence the research.
I cannot help thinking that it must be possible. Bees have been making hives quite naturally for millennia without any intervention from man...
I would like to see a change from 'professional' looking gardens, and have more features showing small household gardens and yards.
We seem to shown acres of cultivated woodland next to tiered immaculate lawns with quarry sized rockeries and ponds big enough to float a yacht, but most of us who watch the programme have a small space and not many hours to work on it. I need advice on the type of plants that work well in my garden, and back yard that don't need to much work, and suit the area I live in.
I do like to see these huge sprawling gardens, but not everyone has the space to grow the plants that are featured in the programme.
That is one of the reasons I like the Beechgrove - it is much more 'domestic'. I do love to see these immaculately kept huge gardens but I know I would never have the time, patience, money, energy or inclination to keep them.