This question is a spin-off of the post "where do you buy your packages"
But this question is for people that already have bees.
So, how many beeks are still buying bees, whether nuc or packages and how many each year?
It's still early but this may be the first year I don't buy bees in 9 years. Ironically, I may have to sell some of my nucs off if my good luck continues. Feast or famine, I bought 8 nucs and 8 packages last year to increase my overall hives numbers and as replacement bees last year.
I am most likely buying 4 to 6 local nucs from a friend and also getting a couple of Russian queens to play with on top of that.
I'm buying (and paid for) 5 California packages and one Georgia package. I might pick up another package or two if I get a good deal.
I ordered 50 nucs.
Quote from: jvalentour on February 10, 2015, 09:10:45 PM
I might pick up another package or two if I get a good deal.
That is why I'm buying nucs from a friend, It is looking like he is going to have too many bees this year,I wish I had his problem.
This is my forth year of bee sustainability .So glad to never have to buy bee's again.
I say it should be a goal never to buy bee's after the 2nd year of bee keeping. But that's just my way of thinking.
Glock, I agree with you. I am creeping toward the same goal as you. Queen castles, comb builders, nucs, and selected queens are my goal. aka bee self sustainability.
Never say never in the bee business. :cheesy:
This is my second winter, an I had bees make it thru my first. One out of 2, this year I still have 5 out of seven at the moment..... fingers crossed. I think everyone would like to be purchase free, like Glock said, however, until I get built up to the numbers I want i will have to add stock again this year. G
Being smack dab in the middle of corn, soybean, and pastures that are regularly treated for one thing or another, combined with long cold winters, losses can and have run on the high side.
So for someone like me, trying to produce an annual honey crop, I always have to have some on order for spring. Worse that can happen is just what I want. More Bees!
I think this is my fifth year, I bought three established hive to start with, have only bought a couple of Queens since then.
Good luck to you all
Joe
This is my 6th year. I bought 2 nucs my first year and a queen for one of my hives the following spring that I probably did not need. I have not bought any bees since, knock on wood.
That said, I have lost 3 hives within the last 4 weeks. Looks like CCD, no bees and plenty of food in hive.
Jim
Hang in there Jim spring is not here yet.
Good luck Jim, I still had 5 of 7 at last count. Im worried this deep freeze may not be good if the smaller clusters got the impression they could boost brood production after last weeks mild weather. Might spread em too thin. I hope not, only time will tell. I was glad to see em all kickin last sunday and 70. Now, teens at night for at least a week. Fingers crossed. Good Luck. G
Thanks BG and CBT,
I will keep an eye on them.
Jim
I still have 6 weeks till things start to warm up.
Lost only 1 hive since 3/14 things are humming away.
(http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae9/GLOCK3/BEEKEEPING%202015/P1270039_zpsvnktmopp.jpg) (http://s952.photobucket.com/user/GLOCK3/media/BEEKEEPING%202015/P1270039_zpsvnktmopp.jpg.html)(http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae9/GLOCK3/BEEKEEPING%202015/P1270037_zpsewkvmdax.jpg) (http://s952.photobucket.com/user/GLOCK3/media/BEEKEEPING%202015/P1270037_zpsewkvmdax.jpg.html)(http://i952.photobucket.com/albums/ae9/GLOCK3/BEEKEEPING%202015/P1270047_zpszpw2naft.jpg) (http://s952.photobucket.com/user/GLOCK3/media/BEEKEEPING%202015/P1270047_zpszpw2naft.jpg.html)
31 total.
Heading in to year two and do not plan to buy any bees. Started with eight singles last Summer and still had nine doubles, five singles and a five frame nuc when I was last able to peek in late January.
Having said that, temperatures have not gone above -2 C since before the beginning of February and there have been a lot days were it did not get to -8 C. Lows have all except one day been below -15 C and Mother Nature seems a little partial to lows of less than -20 C for the past couple of weeks, or so, and the coming week as well. All hives have fondant so only not being able to get to food, as opposed to running out of it, is my major worry. Nevertheless, as long as my worst case scenario is ending up with only as many bees as I started with a year ago, I will be good to go.
Love that yard Glock. Good luck, and keep doing whatever you are doing cause its working better each year. G
I bought my very first hive. In 5 years, those are the only bees I bought. It is too much fun and educational to buy something, I can get for free. By the way, I subscribe to the "mutt/survivor bees" mentality. It works for me.
I started last spring and I didn't buy a single package or nuc. I joined a group that does local swarm captures and cut outs. We share the bees depending on need. I also set up traps in the area and ended up the season with 3 hives. So far 2 look like they have a chance to make it till spring and I'm already gearing up for another busy swarm season. Since our winter has been unusually warm and mild I suspect swarming will start early and be prolific this year, so I'm not too worried about expanding my apiary by a few hives in 2015.
I wish swarms were that easy here. Im begging for mercy to get me through this cold snap. Last night was the worst, below 0. I guess if they made it through that they will make it, Sunday will be warm enough to find out. G
jan
Did you have any luck with your traps or was most of the success due to calls?
Thanks
gww
Gonna have to get some gargoyles like Glock has...
So far, 2 of 10 nucs are down. The only two nucs I had made up with package queen daughters. 4 of 30 hives are down, the 4 losses were superseded package queens. At this point, all local and feral hives/nucs are still going strong. My nucs will replace the losses I hope.. and the full hives here in the home yard will be split.. going for 50 hives and 40 nucs by fall from my own survivors. No more buying bees, with the exception of resistant queens.. I will add resistant queens to the gene pool each year.. This year I have Old SOL queens incoming...
Well, good luck to you all, I too hope that mine survive so I can raise from my own stock, but with temps that went -14 last night. Time will tell.