Newbee from Vancouver Island Canada

[flyboy]

I have no bees yet and am a complete newbee. (How's that for off with a bad pun)

Am on the cusp of getting setup for personal beekeeping for honey. Wife is not sure about this.

[Joe D]

Welcome to the forum, Flyboy.  There are lots of threads and videos here that can help. You may also join your local bee club.  Good luck




Joe

[flyboy]

Thanks Joe,

I've already joined the local club.

Forums are great places to learn also. Any suggestions on threads or videos?

[JPinMO]

Welcome, Joe.

I wasn't interested in my husband's desire to try beekeeping, either. Until I went to hear a presentation and didn't understand a thing the speaker was talking about. I bought "Beekeeping for Dummies" from our local Club and after the next meeting, pounded our mentor/friend with questions.

Mind you, this was a year ago. Guess who is now the secretary for our local bee club? Yup. It's completely addicting.

Definitely take a bee class this winter or spring. Watching videos is great, but it's not quite the same as being able to interact with a speaker and other student Beeks.

[flyboy]

Thanks JP. I'll keep that in mind.

[Variable]

Welcome neighbor to my North. I am a new-bee as well so I can not be of much help but I can tell you that I like "FatBeeMan" on youtube 
and I liked a video by ScienceOnline that was an overview of keeping bees. I would have given you the link but I guess I have not posted enough to be allowed to post a url or image link....  :(   ....soon.... :-D I like to sit down and search youtube for whatever it is about bees that has been on my mind.. then let the recommended posts (or something I just learned about) guide me to the next video....
BTW.. I love Vancouver Island! Wife and I honeymooned ( how punny is that :-\ ) in Victoria and try to visit Butchart Gardens every couple of years.

[flyboy]

Variable,

Thanks for the suggestions!

My wife and I got a kick out of "The Bee Movie". A good laugh with lots of puns and bee jokes. Just Google "Bee Movie trailer". Jerry Seinfield narrates.

I am new to the island being from the east coast but i like it here. I used to visit your beautiful state years ago to Hang glide at Chelan Butte and inland at Mansfield. Lots of good memories with family.

[Variable]

My kids and I love the bee movie. A few weeks ago we were watching it and my 7 year old goes off about how the movie is wrong.... "The pollen jocks are all boys!!! They should all be girls!" It is interesting to watch them learn.

Edit: love not live. (Darn phone)

[flyboy]

Thats great how kids pick up on things that slip right by us.

[Brother Dave]

Welcome Fly boy from another NW beekeeper I am in my second year keeping bees on Harstine Island WA. It was good for me to start early on research. I am building some parts of my hives mostly langstroth. and comb guides instead of foundation. I really enjoyed the backwards beekeepers, out of a blue sky,  J P the bee man videos and the fat bee man videos on youtube.

[flyboy]

Dave,
When you say building do you mean cutting from wood? or putting together a kit?

[Brother Dave]

I have experimented with bottom boards and covers some. The ones I purchased split very shortly after I started. On my face book page I have some pictures. I am not a talented carpenter.


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[Brother Dave]

I guess I don't have pictures posted after all I will get some up soon. My bottom board is 2 2by4 rails attached to heavy plywood painted it has no entrance just flat for the hive box to sit on. The lid is flat with roofing shims glued and nailed under neath to provide an entrance. 


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[Brother Dave]

here are some pictures.

[Variable]

Brother Dave,
Are you only using a top entrance? Mind if I ask why you chose that over all the other options. Just looking for info, not judging your decisions.

FYI I posted an image of the swam that got this all started for me on my welcome post.... You said you wanted to see it....

[Brother Dave]

Brother Dave,
Are you only using a top entrance? Mind if I ask why you chose that over all the other options. Just looking for info, not judging your decisions.

FYI I posted an image of the swam that got this all started for me on my welcome post.... You said you wanted to see it....

I have a few reasons to try this. I read a book by Michael Bush.  He gave a number of good reasons to try upper entrances.

Also this is a very simple design for a bottom board the bottom and the top were both within my skill set to build. I am considering adding a 1/4 inch trim around the top of the cover with a 2 inch gap  for an entrance in the future. I have not put my base boards into service yet. I am still using standard bottom boards with entrances greatly reduced.  Part of the fun is to try things.

The tops  I made seem to work ok but i need to change my feeding method to make it really work.

there are allot of good ways to do these things.
David

[GSF]

Welcome!

[flyboy]

I'm very excited! I finally got my bees for two hives. They are quite busy and well tempered. No trouble to watch them. Amazing how much activity goes on. Lots of blossoms.

Thanks to all the help from everyone here at the forum.

[Kevin Bentley]

Congratulations on your bees!