Re: Keeping bees

**camprn** 1/15/2014, 11:53 am

University of Georgia has a wonderful bee program.

plantoid 1/15/2014, 5:16 pm

Millenia wrote:I'm planning to start my beehive this year. I've gotten in touch with our local bee expert on the University of Georgia campus and he will help me get the bees this spring.

I'll admit my initial plan was just to put some bees out for pollination and hope for the best but the more I read about honey bees the more fascinated I became. I'm now not sure if I can stay out of the hive. I wasn't even planning to collect any honey but now I really want to.

I've read so many websites and watched so many videos about bees I feel like I've actually done it before. My husband thinks I'll turn tail and run at the first bee sting but all you have to do is tell me I can't do something and I'll prove you wrong.

See if you can find someone with 10 or so hives and ten years experience as a mentor .. walking the same walk in their footsteps through the same mine field is very useful and sensible.

brainchasm 1/15/2014, 5:50 pm

I can't even imagine what would be involved in trying to keep bees in Las Vegas, especially in my residential area.

I wish I could though...I did it a couple decades ago under my uncle's tutelage back in Wisconsin, and it was really enjoyable.

**camprn** 1/15/2014, 7:03 pm

Millenia wrote:I'm planning to start my beehive this year. I've gotten in touch with our local bee expert on the University of Georgia campus and he will help me get the bees this spring.

I'll admit my initial plan was just to put some bees out for pollination and hope for the best but the more I read about honey bees the more fascinated I became. I'm now not sure if I can stay out of the hive. I wasn't even planning to collect any honey but now I really want to.

I've read so many websites and watched so many videos about bees I feel like I've actually done it before. My husband thinks I'll turn tail and run at the first bee sting but all you have to do is tell me I can't do something and I'll prove you wrong.

http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/associations.html

Millenia 1/16/2014, 8:27 pm

plantoid wrote:
Millenia wrote:I'm planning to start my beehive this year. I've gotten in touch with our local bee expert on the University of Georgia campus and he will help me get the bees this spring.

I'll admit my initial plan was just to put some bees out for pollination and hope for the best but the more I read about honey bees the more fascinated I became. I'm now not sure if I can stay out of the hive. I wasn't even planning to collect any honey but now I really want to.

I've read so many websites and watched so many videos about bees I feel like I've actually done it before. My husband thinks I'll turn tail and run at the first bee sting but all you have to do is tell me I can't do something and I'll prove you wrong.

See if you can find someone with 10 or so hives and ten years experience as a mentor .. walking the same walk in their footsteps through the same mine field is very useful and sensible.

The man at UGA I've been speaking to has 30 or 40 hives and has been keeping bees for 30 years. He's been very helpful.

plantoid 1/17/2014, 9:29 pm

That's brilliant ..you are indeed fortunate.

Please keep posting what you hear from him as it might help other newbies get off to a good start .

malefacter 1/22/2014, 7:13 pm

well i got stung for the first time affraid

since i got these bees. i knew better to be playing with them while wearing a dark green shirt. 2 bees got in my shirt one stung me on my belly the other i did not realize was there til i got in the house i could hear it but could not see it lol so i took my shirt off and now i have a friend in the house,flying around id like to get her outside but i dont know how to do that.

plantoid 1/22/2014, 7:30 pm

Before I got my all in one white bee suit I used to often used a brass zip fronted dark navy blue boiler suit that had the pockets sewn up , along with a cowboy hat and a veil . The bees never bothered me .
You could try slipping a glass beaker or jar over the bee , once she is inside slide the glass over a sheet of paper then put your captive to freedom once both of you are outside the home.

Failing that .... use the vacuum cleaner with the long hose , it also helps keep you fit . Wink

**camprn** 1/22/2014, 8:27 pm

YUP, use a glass to trap and slide a piece of paper under it and the bee, then take her outside and let her go. Very Happy

NHGardener 1/25/2014, 5:03 pm

camprn, are you sure it was mites? I haven't treated mine yet. Do you have Russians? They are supposed to be more mite resistant.

**camprn** 1/25/2014, 5:28 pm

NHGardener wrote:camprn, are you sure it was mites? I haven't treated mine yet. Do you have Russians? They are supposed to be more mite resistant.

Yes, sadly I am sure it was mites. A heavy infestation bloom in the fall. I don't have Russians. The last hive I have is Carniolan.

NHGardener 1/25/2014, 7:21 pm

There's a guy in NY who sells Russian queens for $30 - that's where my Russian hive originated from. I'm ordering another of his queens for this summer - they come in late June. Just in case you're interested in switching. Smile

I have a last-spring hive of Italians too. I'm interested in seeing how they compare come spring.

**camprn** 1/25/2014, 7:47 pm

I'm getting 2 packages and hope to get a few Palmer queens or a VSH carniolan queen, or maybe a russian queen from Warm Colors in Deerfield Ma.

NHGardener 1/25/2014, 9:28 pm

We sure picked an expensive hobby. Smile

Thank goodness we don't have to pay for vegetables....

**camprn** 1/26/2014, 6:41 am

NHGardener wrote:We sure picked an expensive hobby. Thank goodness we don't have to pay for vegetables....

Yup. If this last colony survives, I am going to try to raise a few queens from it.

NHGardener 1/26/2014, 11:14 am

I'm planning on splitting to get 4 hives out of 2 this summer. Sounds like a lot of fun, hope it works. I'll just do walkaways, if I get the queen in time I'll use her, otherwise I may let them raise their own and see what happens.

Also, I want to split them early before any swarming, because Russians (one hive is russian) have a tendency to swarm. That would REALLY stink.

malefacter 1/26/2014, 4:27 pm

that is why i am gona build bait hives so i can catch the bees others lost Smile

NHGardener 1/26/2014, 4:41 pm

Might as well. They don't seem to fare too well on their own.

malefacter 1/27/2014, 1:01 am

they probably do here my bees flew all winter

R&R 1011 2/28/2014, 11:37 am

I have called zoning for the past 3 days trying to get an answer on whether I can keep bees. I think I can because Im technically in a business zone where apiculture is allowed, but they are heeming and hawing, "unsure", and might require a "conditional permit= $125".

I am worried because I have a high maintenance, nosy neighbor who's trying to sell her house. Im pretty sure she would hate me if I got bees and possible she would complain.

So my question is can I hide my hive in a pallet bin without a top like this?

Keeping bees - Page 21 88255610

**camprn** 2/28/2014, 11:40 am

R&R 1011 wrote:I have called zoning for the past 3 days trying to get an answer on whether I can keep bees. I think I can because Im technically in a business zone where apiculture is allowed, but they are heeming and hawing, "unsure", and might require a "conditional permit= $125".

I am worried because I have a high maintenance, nosy neighbor who's trying to sell her house. Im pretty sure she would hate me if I got bees and possible she would complain.

So my question is can I hide my hive in a pallet bin without a top like this?

The short answer is that a screeni is an amazing tool to reduce the anxiety of your neighbors and that directly translates to reduced agravation on the beekeepers part. Do you live in London proper?

R&R 1011 2/28/2014, 11:58 am

camprn wrote:
R&R 1011 wrote:I have called zoning for the past 3 days trying to get an answer on whether I can keep bees. I think I can because Im technically in a business zone where apiculture is allowed, but they are heeming and hawing, "unsure", and might require a "conditional permit= $125".

I am worried because I have a high maintenance, nosy neighbor who's trying to sell her house. Im pretty sure she would hate me if I got bees and possible she would complain.

So my question is can I hide my hive in a pallet bin without a top like this?

The short answer is that a screeni is an amazing tool to reduce the anxiety of your neighbors and that directly translates to reduced agravation on the beekeepers part. Do you live in London proper?

I live in London, Ohio, a small rural town, but Im just on the edge of town before it gets really country. I actually found a hive box in the barn, so the previous sheep farmers who lived here obviously kept bees, but they havent lived here for over 10 years.

**camprn** 2/28/2014, 11:59 am

Ohio has quite a lot of regulations. You may get a better answer by calling the State Apiarist.

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/909

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/divs/plant/apiary/apiary.aspx

http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/

**sanderson** 2/28/2014, 1:09 pm

camprn wrote:
R&R 1011 wrote:

The short answer is that a screeni is an amazing tool to reduce the anxiety of your neighbors and that directly translates to reduced agravation on the beekeepers part. Do you live in London proper?

Plus you could plant tall flowers or something vining on 3 sides.

R&R 1011 2/28/2014, 1:14 pm

camprn wrote:Ohio has quite a lot of regulations. You may get a better answer by calling the State Apiarist.

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/909

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/divs/plant/apiary/apiary.aspx

http://www.ohiostatebeekeepers.org/

Now why didnt I think of that?!! The state apiarist happens to be Facebook's group owner of the bees keepers group that Im a member of, so I just sent her a facebook message.

I could definitely hide the pallet bin with the mammoth sunflower seeds I have. Smile

I actually was thinking about enclosing the hive anyway since I have a 1 & 3 yr old who play in the yard along with 2 dogs.

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