My husband and I are new Honey Bee Keepers. I am so excited about this new adventure of ours. We are attending the MO Bee Assoc meeting tonight. We would like any and all advise, story, or general information from any other bee keepers!
Margaret
Proud to be an American! There is nothing better on earth than our freedom!
Last night meeting was very interesting, I really never knew that Missouri (St Louis area) had so many beekeepers! I learn some things that made me go "really". The meetings are once a month and I cant wait to go back in June.
Last nights meeting they talked about swarms. Did you know if you catch a swarm and introduce them to a new hive, all you need to do is find the queen and put her in the hive the other bees "march" all together straight into the hive behind her.
Plus I am going to the book store to buy "Dummies for BeeKeepers"!
Margaret
Proud to be an American! There is nothing better on earth than our freedom!
Margaret, You should check out the thread "All Things Bees" as it has lots of useful information about beekeeping. I posted on it so it should be right below this topic. Welcome! Dianne
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." --Leondardo da Vinci
Margaret I can tell you from my experience this year. I put in my first hive. I had studied for a year. I read Beekeeeping for Dummies, First lesson in Beekeeping, and about 10 other starting beekeeping books and completed the Beekeeping 101; 102 & 103 courses. All I can say is - it does not work like the books say it will. I can say now that my biggest mistake was not having a mentor. The bee association here has been in political turmoil for about the last year and I do not like drama so I chose to do it alone. It has been very difficult. I have found a few discussion groups online that have been helpful but when I have concerns I get the same initial response "if you have a strong hive..." the problem is I don't have a clue if my hive is strong. Nothing has gone the way the books describe it. Most of the books have been written by people in a very different climate than East Texas and I think once they got to the point of feeling comfortable enough to write a book they may have forgotten how it actually was when you first start. Have you started a hive yet? Before installing the bees I watched a video and read the book directions multiple times. Maybe Texas bees are different but I'm telling you Texas bees don't pour out of the box like the video and books say they will. At the brink of tears, I ended up scooping them out with my gloved hand. My best advise (of course hind sight is 20/20) get a mentor and don't believe everything you hear or read.
Honey Bees
Posted - May 13 2010 : 05:28:32 AM
