bee-keeping

[Madlentileater]

anyone tried bee-keeping? in a town? pros, cons?

nobody???

we have a nest, but i don't keep them personally .

on the bee website you can buy homes for them.

I'm getting my first nuc in a couple of months . I've been helping out at an apiary for a year (although not much going on over winter). Did a weekend course last year. Definitely no expert but am learning.

What do you want to know?

The best way of learning is to contact your local Beekeeping Association.

well, there's a day introductory course soon that I thought of going on...what's a nuc? can you really keep them in your garden?

Definitely go on the introductory course. Even if it makes you decide bee keeping isn't for you, you'll have a really interesting day / weekend. .

You can keep them in your garden if you have a really big or secluded garden. They can't be near a path or any public roads or passages. Bees tend to fly in a straight line to where they want to go, and if they bump into someone they might sting in surprise - so, no putting them where they will cross where people walk.

There's also the issue of swarming. Although careful bee keeping can minimise the chances of swarming, at certain times of year it might happen. Where will they swarm to? How close are your neighbours and how thrilled would they be to have your bees on their roof?

(A nuc is a nucleus - a very small colony which I will get from a chap at my apiary who breeds queens. It will be a box containing a queen, some bees, some brood and some food. About 5 frames worth. It will grow into a bigger colony.)

Bee keeping is pretty complicated stuff in some ways. It can be very low intervention, but there are some things you really need to learn. It's fascinating. Go on the course!

thanks! I'll go....(mentally mapping routes around garden)