HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
60-80 lbs.?!?!?!?! WOW! That seems like enough. Hmmm, interesting. What about initial cost if I have access to free wood and the skills to make hives?
Honey bees
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CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
I can build a hive for $250 in materials. Much of that 2x4, plywood, and aluminum flashing for the lid
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LittleBittyBigJohn
Veteran Member
KloverKnoll and I use different methods and equipment. I use the Langstroth equipment and am a little more hands on than him, but less hands on than some others I know. I would say I average about an hour a week. More in the spring and almost none in the late fall and winter.
My suggestion would be 2 hives minimum. In the class I took the teacher sited right around 50% failure rate. Between my sister and I, that statistic has held true. But last year was my first year. I'm hoping, now that my colonies are established, the losses will be much less. The only 1 I lost last year I think I interfered with the colony's attempt to raise a new queen. By the time I figured it out, it was too late in the season to get them a new one. So I combined that hive with a stronger one.
If I'm remembering correctly I spent around $1,300 on 2 hives, 2 sets of gear, all the tools required, and 2 Nuc colonies. A good, strong, established colony can produce up to 100lbs of harvestable honey. Don't plan on any honey the first year.
It's a really fun hobby. But, I'm already tired of getting stung.
My suggestion would be 2 hives minimum. In the class I took the teacher sited right around 50% failure rate. Between my sister and I, that statistic has held true. But last year was my first year. I'm hoping, now that my colonies are established, the losses will be much less. The only 1 I lost last year I think I interfered with the colony's attempt to raise a new queen. By the time I figured it out, it was too late in the season to get them a new one. So I combined that hive with a stronger one.
If I'm remembering correctly I spent around $1,300 on 2 hives, 2 sets of gear, all the tools required, and 2 Nuc colonies. A good, strong, established colony can produce up to 100lbs of harvestable honey. Don't plan on any honey the first year.
It's a really fun hobby. But, I'm already tired of getting stung.
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
Consider trapping swarms, instead of buying nucs too. Our nucs have never been able to perform like our two nucs. We have seven colonies, 5 of which were swarms. After two years, we have had no loss of colonies. Not saying this winter is past us, but we have been very blessed with these hives and management style.
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
Beautiful hives! Excuse my ignorance but $250 seems like a lot for a couple wooden boxes with Al lids. Is that box more complex than I am seeing? Again, I have little to no knowledge in this realm so that might be a really dumb question.
How much is that same set-up store bought?
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
I am watching a video now, learning a lot and see why they are $250, lots of wood in there!
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
You can buy these only one place, for $600 shipped. It is a double walled hive, so it has a framework inside it. Insulated with natural, unwashed sheeps wool. If you can get the wool for free, that drops the cost to about $150. That cost also includes frames, of which it contains 20. Each frame is about $2 with European wax foundation (us wax foundation is not as pure due to pesticides and herbicides in the environment).
The build of this hive is much more complex and involved than a simple four sided box used for a Langstroth hive. But it’s use is so much less labor intensive… and it is arguably a better home for a bee who is used to being in a tree hollow which itself has insulating properties
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CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
They are hefty. For sure. I love them… though you don’t just throw one together like a conventional hive, which is why I have a full fledged shop now
HawkinsHollow
Veteran Member
Yeah I see that. Pretty cool!!
I am seeing Langstroth hives online for $150-$176, thats not bad. I am sure I could make them for less, but my time is pretty precious right now.
Might be a little late to start this spring though huh? I am in SE TN so spring is right around the corner. Can you start late if you expect little to no honey the first year?
CloverKnollFarms
Elite Member
Issue is this… the bees need to build up enough stores for winter… so if you start late, they start late. Not insurmountable, but you may need to feed them, (which I don’t do unless it’s this sort of situation) so that they have the glucose to survive the winter. Not sure when swarm season begins in your area. In zone 6 here, it’s May. You could just build or buy a couple swarm traps and the bees can live there, build up there, until you had a proper hive. I’ve done this when my swarm catching outpaced my hive building.