The Poultry Keeper

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

of course they would have names....b1, b2, b3, b4....

stephen · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:17 pm Post subject:

They are here

Gina · Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 471 Location: Kent

Good pics.....they are amazing at what they do!

NannyP · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks, I'll just have the honey please Laughing

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

when you first get them do you get the queen in a different box or something?

nigel · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 7:47 am Post subject:

you can either buy a full hive, or you can buy what they call a nucleus. A nucleus has a laying queen, worker bees, sealed brood and some honey stores for their use. It is typical about a third to a half the size of a full hive (usually 3-6 frames a typical national hive has 11 or 12 depending on spacing). You can also buy a 'packet' of bees. This is a newly mated queen (artificially inseminated usually) and around 50 worker bees.

From mid to late April, depending on the weather, the queen starts to lay and build up the colony to around 60,000 by the end of August, when the colony starts to downsize for the winter.

Nigel

jaydee67 · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:06 am Post subject:

Woah! They use AI on BEES? mind boggles! and 60.000 bees - IN ONE HIVE? and you go near it? I love honey - but not that much. Think I'll stick to the lemon curd!

nigel · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:13 am Post subject:

Stephen felt like that at first, but these bees are fantastically gentle and quiet on the comb. When you're inside a veil etc. There is nothing to be worries about, they can't get you. He doesn't worry too much now though when he helps me inspect them.

The bees are just starting to get busy and with oilseed rape in full flower, I'm hoping for a first honey crop by the end of May/early June. Fingers Crossed.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

but, do you have to look at each of the new bees to find the queen to mark it or does it come ready marked?

Knobby · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:19 am Post subject:

Oh Summayah....shes the one wearing the crown of course ! Very Happy

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

why didn't I think of that...then they take it off and give her a green dot ~ poor exchange

nigel · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:24 am Post subject:

Usually you have to look through the combs to find the queen and mark her with a coloured dot. Stephen is usually much better at spotting her than I am. Mine is marked green to show she was a 2004 bred queen. This years queens should be marked blue.

The are not too difficult to spot. The queen is larger and a different shape.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

oh I see, thanks for that. Never knew any of that, thank you