new bees for 2008

dbee · December 28, 2007, 02:45:41 PM

I have three hives in North Carolina and I am looking to expand to six in the new year.Does anybody know of a bee supplier in the state.I wanted to get them closer to home this year.I got the last ones from Georgia last year.Two of my hives were strong going into the winter so I am hoping to make splits off of them.Thanks for the help.

sean · December 28, 2007, 03:09:46 PM

since you already have 3 why not just wait until the population has gone back up then split that way you have your 6 hives at no addtional cost

bassman1977 · December 28, 2007, 03:47:04 PM

That's the way to go IMO.

KONASDAD · December 28, 2007, 04:41:05 PM

Going from 3 to 6 in one year will probably result in no honey that year. It would help if you added three new queens so your populatuion wouldn't get so low before re-building. I would personally look for a local seller through your local bee club. Thats how I got mine. W/o shipping costs at all, you save a little money and get local stock.

Kathyp · December 28, 2007, 05:21:46 PM

i am going to do small splits from my two strongest hives and just leave them alone to build up. they can make their own queens and do their own thing this year. hopefully, i will not disturb those stronger hives enough to interfere with honey production.

this depends on my hives coming through winter ok, and having a better year than last year for honey production.

i was disappointed in the packages i got last year and hope i do not have to buy queens or bees this year!

Cindi · December 28, 2007, 07:51:28 PM

dbee. Nice to see you make a post, you haven't made one since August. Sounds like things went pretty good after the wax moth issues eh? Did you end up buying some Certan. Make more posts when you have time, we would love to hear what you are up to. Have a great and wonderful day, Cindi

dbee · December 29, 2007, 08:54:50 AM

Hello cindi,yes I had a mess with the wax moths,they destroyed one hive and almost got another one.I cleaned it out and pushed them down to one deep. They were slow to build back up with the drought we have been in most of the year.I left them a super of buckwheat honey they had put up before the moths.I bought the certan and am planning on using it on my new hives and the supers in the freezer too. I planted clover and buckwheat for them all summer I think that kept the other ones going through the drought.This was my second year with bees and it is neet to have them,we have been it this location for 14 years now and the bees will come to our house and barns to see what they can find to eat.It's nice to see something that we helped get started in our little spot.I have plans for ALOT more buckwheat this year they love it.

Cindi · December 29, 2007, 10:20:31 AM

dbee. Good. Buckwheat is a work and a wonder for the bees. I know I have that seeded at spots at my place, it self-seeds readily and it is all over in clumps. Buckwheat is a wonderful for the bees (some do not like the honey), but buckwheat is mingled with all sorts of other nectars, so I don't get that dark buckwheat taste.

Buckwheat provides nectar for the bees two times a day, morning and late afternoon. During the middle of the day the plants do not secrete nectar, it is a strange nectar source, but the bees sure know when the nectar is running high.

Anyways, good luck dbee, nice to see you post and things went OK for you finally. Best of this great day. Cindi

reinbeau · December 31, 2007, 10:12:17 AM

Quote from: dbee on December 28, 2007, 02:45:41 PM
I have three hives in North Carolina and I am looking to expand to six in the new year.Does anybody know of a bee supplier in the state.I wanted to get them closer to home this year.I got the last ones from Georgia last year.Two of my hives were strong going into the winter so I am hoping to make splits off of them.Thanks for the help.

If I lived where you do I would get my bees from Don Kuchenmeister over at Dixie Bee Supply. He's in northern Georgia and uses no hard chemicals on his bees, they seemed to be very hardy and were very nice to work around.

Sean Kelly · January 02, 2008, 09:35:56 AM

So, just so I understand....

If I split my two hives, that would probably be a good bet to increase the size of my apiary, but I wont get any honey? So if I want honey, I should just leave my two hives alone and just buy more bees from a supplier?

I don't like spending money and at $80 a pop from a local supplier + all new hive stuff, that'll get a little pricey.

I started with 1 hive last spring and split it 2 months later, letting the new hive raise their own queen and they both did really well in the fall. But I'm also afraid to press my luck and try it again.

Sean Kelly

Brian D. Bray · January 02, 2008, 08:10:28 PM

You can split the 2 hives several times, i.e. make 3 or 4 nucs out of each hive with purchased queens. That will give you 6-8 hives but it will take all season to build those nucs up to proper strength and size so you loose your honey crop. So, What's more important, number of hives or harvest? To answer that look at your long range plans--if it is to become a side liner, I'd say split to the max now and then do a single split on each hive the following year so you have both a hive increase and a harvestable crop.

sean · January 02, 2008, 09:59:36 PM

couldnt sean split with say 3 frames from each hive and start them with queens? the main hives wouldnt be too depleted so he would probly still get honey this year and have his 6 hives?