How to Start your own Back Yard Bee Hive

reply to post by twitchy

And while we're on the subject, any tips to keeping your honey from turning to frosted yuck? I have the worst luck keeping honey honey for some reason. Someone told me it was because the store bought honey is blended from various sources and that causes it to congeal when it hits air, but the same guy also says he can outfish me which hurts his credibility of course. Last question is for all you guys, favorite honey? Mine's probably Sourwood... no, Locust.... um, no it's Tupelow...

I don't have much problem with raw, natural honey crystalizing... but then I use it almost daily so it doesn't last too long. You can't beat honey drizzled over good Greek yogurt. Yum! I store the honey in a glass jar in dark cupboard.
My brother-in-law is a beekeeper (as was my father) -- honeybees are fascinating creatures.
Favorite honey would have to be Greek honey - that's some good stuff!

reply to post by KathyG427


num na! I looooove plain high fat yogurt drizzled with honey....mmmmmmmm num num num

reply to post by ANNED


Thank you kindly for taking the time to share your own personal methods with us.
It truly is an "art form" isn't it.

You are obviously an experienced Bee handler. I will review your post again as time goes on,as
I believe there is some important information that you have revealed that will prove to be most helpful
when I reach that level of involvement.

As you can surmise, I am quite new to this. Thanks Again...

reply to post by pcrobotwolf


Well Well Well, these are not yellow jacket wasps my friend. These are the pollinators that do the hard work
so you can eat. I am surrounded by more than 30 acres of Nature Conservatory. So, my neighbors are not in
the position to complain. In fact, I believe they are conducive to my efforts.

Regards,

reply to post by Aliensun


Super cool reply. thank you. And yes, hummingbirds are real fun. You can hold out a handful of sugar water,
and if you are patient and relatively still, they will drink right out of your hand.

The best part is, you will never forget the sound of one of those guys flying right past your ear.

That in itself, is a unique experience in life.

reply to post by Homedawg


Thanks for that excellent advice. I will do just that. Best to you, and your friends.

reply to post by Realtruth


Hello Realtruth, I will most definately take you advice to heart. I may have to look to you for direction
in the future. If that is O.K with you.
Very much appreciated,,,
Wildmanimal

reply to post by Sasky


Thanks Sasky,,,,I will no doubt be seeking your advice at some point in the near future.

In the meantime, remain the good person that you are.

reply to post by twitchy


That Sourwood honey is in a catagory all its own. Appalachia Wild Mountain Honey.
Steve Miller wrote a song about that. Legal Issues: From my understanding, I must register my hive with
the State Entomologist prior to October first of this year. I assume that this may be standard practice
nationwide here in The Continental United States of America. As far as neighbors: Well it would be downright
dangerous and Un Neighborly to start a Honey Bee Hive without making sure that no one in your immediate
vicinity is allergic to Bees. The last thing you want on your conscience is a Histamine reaction.
However, if your neighbors are good with it, you only need about 10 feet of space in front of the hive, in a non
traffic area of course.Like Realtruth mentioned previously, Honey Bees are generally non aggressive, as
compared to Wasps,Hornets,YellowJackets, and the like. It is rather amazing really.

reply to post by inanna1234


Ha ha my dear, that was not a bee. That was a miniature NSA spy drone .

I hope you are "Bee Having" yourself.

reply to post by Sparky63


Definately, check in with your neighbors first. It is not only common courtesy, but responsible.

My Bees are a hardy Africanized strain that were smuggled in the suitcase of our beloved President

on his way back from Kenya. The genetic strain is so strong in fact, that it is considered a counter force

to those who have deliberately engulfed on the concept of eugenics and depopulation by causing a

pollinator extinction. How about those apples?

reply to post by felonius


As far as the Queen changing. Specifically, what characteristics are you pertaining to?

Please Specify.

As I already have " The African Queen". She is GMO immune.

I look forward to your reply. Regards,,,,Wildmanimal

reply to post by hawkiye


I would like to hear your helpful thoughts on creating your own "Bee Suit".

Please proceed, I am all ears. Thanks in advance.

Excellent work. We need as many hives out there in the world as we can get nowadays.

I have just one question for you though - I note that you are not planning to use chemicals (good on you!) but how do you plan to deal with the varroa mite problem? This mite is one of the major causes of the disappearance of bees and even if your hive is mite free your bees can pick up the mite off other bees out in the field.

As an interesting FYI, did you know that Australia is now the only country in the world that is varroa mite free? They say it is not a matter of it, but when the mite makes it here, unless a way to combat it is found very soon.

reply to post by Wildmanimal


Wildmanimal i wish you the best in your bee endeavor. i really liked what you wrote in the intro, the positive statement for people who may not have space to do a bee project at this time. i applaud your bravery for delving into this effort as you have. there is nothing like hands-on experience to gain knowledge.

i was a little surprised you made no mention of visiting or trying to meet beekeepers in your area. i've noticed in life that when one pursues an interest or hobby, it doesn't take long to realize there are magazines, clubs and chapters of groups for most everything.

please be careful and have fun. hope you and the bees have much success

reply to post by Wildmanimal


The only signs that I can remember are that she would be somewhat larger (than a regular queen) and I think her markings would be different. The african's produce more eggs.

I guess you open the super up and count bee eggs?

I understood it to be that if the queen was replaced by an africanized bee, the hive would mutate. I remember my uncles or papa "swapping" queens but it was not common. It could have just been a "just in case" situation. This was back in the eighties when they were first noticed.

I was also about 30 years younger. I've slept since then LOL!

I've never kept bee's so I just did a bit of reading.

the-beeman.com...

Here its talking about occasional "re-queening" for the health of the hive. This sounds like what my folks did.

You got me interested again. TO THE BOOKS!!!!!

Originally posted by Wildmanimal
reply to post by hawkiye

 

I would like to hear your helpful thoughts on creating your own "Bee Suit".

Please proceed, I am all ears. Thanks in advance.

I just googled DIY bee suit, or homemade bee suit, here are some links I found:

www.ehow.com...

www.ehow.com...

www.ehow.com...

Moe: Listen, Homer: in the back room, I got these super-tough Africanized bees. I saw this ad in a gentleman's magazine for excited African honeys and that's what they sent me. If we could combine them with Lisa's bees, it would make them strong enough to survive any environment.
The Simpsons s20e08

I wish to say one thing. This "using" of nature by man sucks.
My 2 cents: If you wanna have healthy bees don't take them honey or anything. This is the best medicine for them. Is sugar good for us? Of course not.
It is wonderful thing you are gonna do but where's any difference? Chance that they get ill is the same. Than you will have to burn them. I don't know if they can force you to do this.
If I wanted healthy bees for polination I would breed them as wild as possible.
I think this is gonna be the only option very soon.

reply to post by PapagiorgioCZ


Man and bees have been working together for thousands of years. Nothing wrong with keeping bees.

reply to post by LargeFries


Yes, it would probably be a good idea to join a State Bee keeping Club. I have looked into it, but have not joined.
It was probably stupid of me as well because I don't even know if I am allergic to bees.

I have been stung by Yellow Jackets and other wasps many times without any major histamine reaction, so
I figure I'll be alright. Thanks for your kind words.