Beekeeping

LittleBittyBigJohn · Oct 18, 2021

I've searched around and it doesn't look like there are any active threads on beekeeping. Do any of you keep bees? I am going to try my hand at it, starting next year. I will get my supplies ready over the winter and have it all set up before spring so I can be ready for a nuc as soon as I can get one. I'm open for any pointers, location, site prep, equipment suggestions etc. Also, not sure if it's allowed to cross link to other forums... If so, are there any beekeeping specific forums that are recommended?

I'm in central Arkansas on about 11 acres, so I should have plenty of room. Lots of trees around and semi rural.

forgeblast · Oct 18, 2021

I used to until a bear crushed my hive and took all the honey when my electric fence shorted out. Beesource and bio bees are great resources. I used to run a topbar hive called a warre hive. I caught some swarms too. Look up PSU's guide to fencing in your bees to keep them safe. Cornell has a great bee keeping certificate program too.

riptides · Oct 18, 2021

sjstyles said:
I've searched around and it doesn't look like there are any active threads on beekeeping. Do any of you keep bees? I am going to try my hand at it, starting next year. I will get my supplies ready over the winter and have it all set up before spring so I can be ready for a nuc as soon as I can get one. I'm open for any pointers, location, site prep, equipment suggestions etc. Also, not sure if it's allowed to cross link to other forums... If so, are there any beekeeping specific forums that are recommended?

I'm in central Arkansas on about 11 acres, so I should have plenty of room. Lots of trees around and semi rural.

Contact your local extension office. You may need permits in your area. I don't know about your area.

The extension office, if like mine, has a wealth of information and probably can assist you from the local to state level with resources and points-of-contact.

My state has quite a lot of resources available, including hive lotteries for those starting out or expanding their hobby or business.

Good luck.

RobA · Oct 19, 2021

I've been keeping bees for 7 years. I've had as many as 5 hives and now have 3. Based on the amount of time required to properly care for them 2 or 3 seems to be the right number for me.

- beekeeping turned out to require a lot more work than I expected.
- join a local club, if possible. If they have a mentoring program take advantage of it.
- beesource.com has a wealth of information.
- varroa mites, in my opinion, will be your biggest challenge. They can cause a lot of hive losses, especially over the winter. There are many ways to treat for them.
- having more than 1 hive is helpful so that you can compare how each is doing and, possibly, identify problems.
- as with most hobbies, ask 5 beekeepers a question and you'll get at least 6 opinions.
- it took me a couple of years to get comfortable with beekeeping.
- I still don't know enough.

NorTracNY · Oct 19, 2021

RobA said:
I've been keeping bees for 7 years. I've had as many as 5 hives and now have 3. Based on the amount of time required to properly care for them 2 or 3 seems to be the right number for me.

- beekeeping turned out to require a lot more work than I expected.
- join a local club, if possible. If they have a mentoring program take advantage of it.
- beesource.com has a wealth of information.
- varroa mites, in my opinion, will be your biggest challenge. They can cause a lot of hive losses, especially over the winter. There are many ways to treat for them.
- having more than 1 hive is helpful so that you can compare how each is doing and, possibly, identify problems.
- as with most hobbies, ask 5 beekeepers a question and you'll get at least 6 opinions.
- it took me a couple of years to get comfortable with beekeeping.
- I still don't know enough.

I've had a few more years than RobA, but he has the best advice. I agree with each of his points. It does take a lot more time than I expected. A local club may offer classes during the winter. Having a mentor is huge! I've returned the favor many times since. Varroa is tough! You definitely should have at least 2 hives to start with. You will learn something every single year you keep bees. The only subject that has more written about it than beekeeping is religion.

LittleBittyBigJohn · Oct 19, 2021

NorTracNY said:
The only subject that has more written about it than beekeeping is religion.

That's funny, my Sunday school teacher is also a beekeeper and he is going to be my local resource.

cqaigy2 · Oct 20, 2021

Post your bee picts.

LittleBittyBigJohn · Oct 20, 2021

I will but I haven't started yet.

LittleBittyBigJohn · Jun 6, 2022

I forgot I started this thread. I was able to attend a beginner's beekeeping class earlier this spring. I started 2 hives with Nucs this spring then acquired 2 established hives from someone local that was moving out of state and was exiting beekeeping.

The 2 established hives I acquired had overwintering inner covers on them. Of those one was filled with burr comb. I opted to switch the inner cover to a standard solid one and got telescoping covers for them as well. I was able to harvest the honey out of the burr comb in the covers.

Sopapillas were really good with freshly harvested honey

CloverKnollFarms · Oct 12, 2023

Harvested and closed up the hives for winter today. Really impressed! We finally had colonies fill 20 frames! We ended the year with 4 colonies, harvested 200 pounds and left 160 pounds for the bees. Actually had a first year swarm end up with about 40 extra pounds! Looking forward to expanding next year to 8 colonies again.

CloverKnollFarms · Oct 17, 2023

Some beautiful frames this year. That's $120 of honey right there

RobertEH · Oct 17, 2023

New keeper here. This is year 4 and I had my first successful overwinter last year. I am going into this winter with 3 hives. I had a modest harvest this season (10 frames - I also left 10 frames for each hive for overwinter food).

Last winter I used a "hot hive" set up with 2 inch foam panels surrounding the hive and a quilt box for moisture control.

This year I am repeating the foam panels and adding a candy board below the quilt boards. I built the candy boards last month and filled them yesterday. I plan on putting them on and adding the insulation next week as temps are about to get close to freezing at night. the "stove pipes" in the photo are just blocks to keep the center open for air flow to the quilt box and will be removed before installing next week.

Last years insulated hive - this year I will have the bottom panel directly under the bottom board rather than hidden under the stand, and I will be removing the top cover in lieu of an oversized foam panel.

CloverKnollFarms · Oct 17, 2023

Our hives we build with insulation in the walls. We have yet to lose a colony over winter in them.

CloverKnollFarms · Oct 17, 2023

Insulation helps A LOT, plus we leave 35 pounds of honey per hive

forgeblast · Oct 18, 2023

RobertEH said:
New keeper here. This is year 4 and I had my first successful overwinter last year. I am going into this winter with 3 hives. I had a modest harvest this season (10 frames - I also left 10 frames for each hive for overwinter food).

Last winter I used a "hot hive" set up with 2 inch foam panels surrounding the hive and a quilt box for moisture control.

This year I am repeating the foam panels and adding a candy board below the quilt boards. I built the candy boards last month and filled them yesterday. I plan on putting them on and adding the insulation next week as temps are about to get close to freezing at night. the "stove pipes" in the photo are just blocks to keep the center open for air flow to the quilt box and will be removed before installing next week.
View attachment 827328
View attachment 827329

Last years insulated hive - this year I will have the bottom panel directly under the bottom board rather than hidden under the stand, and I will be removing the top cover in lieu of an oversized foam panel.

View attachment 827331

how is the bear situation? do your run electric fence?

CloverKnollFarms · Nov 7, 2023

Extracted 150 pounds of honey today. The buckwheat wasn't noticeable in the honey really, so next year I'm planting phacelia, which has a much greater nectar carrying capacity. We will see how that affects honey flow

redman135 · Nov 8, 2023

Hello, lilbittybigjohn. BEFORE keeping bees, find out what pests kill hives, ie varoa mite, american foul brood, etc. In New Zealand american foul brood means the bees are gassed and the hive burn to prevent further contamination.
Other things in no particular order, honey is HEAVY. look at 1/2 or 3/4 depth boxes.
Bees WILL glue EVERYTHING togather.
Bees will leave a "bee space"(8mm) and fill extra space with burr comb in any gap.
Old jute sacking makes good smoke.
Learn to recognise queeen cells and inspect and destroy or you will have smarms leaving the hive.
In New Zealand we generally have hives on pallets, but will still put a 2' square of plywood in front of the entrance to stop the grass blocking the entrance.

To catch a swarm on a low branch, get a large cardboard box,(bees don't suffocate) and give a sharp shake to dislodge the swarm from the branch into the box(hold directly under the swarm) or cut the branch (if small enough) and take the branch with the swarm. At the new hive lay a newspaper or plywood in front of the hive and shake the swarm onto the newspaper and usually they will just walk into the hive( include some frames that have had brood in them as the smell makes the hive more inviting). Bees will move into an old hive quite readilly as it is less work. (BUT if the old bees were killed by disease then the new swarm will be infected).
Watching a swarm walk into a hive in both surreal and facinating.

Good Luck