Hello from Eastern PA

[davedill]

Greetings all!!

I am new to beekeeping and just ordered my first hobby kit from Dadant and package of bees this week.  I have been reading many of the posts here and watching the collection of YouTube videos on beekeeping for the past winter.  My boys (9 and 7) and I are eager to get started.  The bees ship on April 15th!

The two questions I have at this point are:

1) about how many gallons of syrup will I need to make to get through the spring time.  Wondering if I can make a bunch and store it or should I make small batches each week or so?

2) is there anything for pest management I need to do when starting a new hive?  I know this is a controversial topic.  My views on chemicals are middle of the road.  I don't want a toxic hive but I am also not an organic person.

Thanks for your advice and I look forward to chatting often.

Dave

[fermentedhiker]

Welcome to the forum.  I haven't been at this long enough to want to be the one to answer your questions though.  It seems like I've seen others post about them taking a quart or more of syrup daily.  I wouldn't make too much ahead since it will mold if left too long.

[BjornBee]

Welcome to the forum Dave.

You can just take a 5 pound of sugar and place it in a gallon container. Like a plastic iced tea container. Then just fill to the top with water.

Feeding will depend on how the spring plays out. Some weeks they may not need any, but then there are those cold spells with rain that seem to last forever. A new hove with no stores can starve in a couple days. So it's good to do this the first year.

The second part is not so easily answered. Most could write a book. I'll suggest that you do some reading, and ask some specific questions as you go through the information. You should not even have a mite problem the first summer, as most packages are treated prior to shipment,. although that is not always true.

[hive101]

Hi Dave.  Welcome!  I'm a new beekeeper this year myself.  Like you, I've been soaking up as much info as I can, from books, online, etc. 

One thing I've learned early on is that it's good to join a local beekeeping association.  I wish I had joined one sooner, because now that I'm involved with one I've found them to be a terrific resource.  You might also find a good mentor--someone local who can aid you in getting started.  I was fortunate enough to discover an old family friend of ours is a long-time beekeeper, and he and his wife have been instrumental in helping me start.

[Jim134]

Welcome to the forum Dave

1) about how many gallons of syrup will I need to make to get through the spring time.  Wondering if I can make a bunch and store it or should I make small batches each week or so?

  Mix one batch at a time
 
  5lbs. per hive it a time. 5lbs. to 1 gallon of water  
  Do not let the bees run out of syrup for at least 6 to 8 weeks

2) is there anything for pest management I need to do when starting a new hive?  I know this is a controversial topic.  My views on chemicals are middle of the road.  I don't want a toxic hive but I am also not an organic person.

  Go get some books about it and join a local beekeeping associaton

  http://www.pastatebeekeepers.org/index.html

  http://www.pastatebeekeepers.org/Reports/Map/Contacts%20and%20Inspectors.html#

  Hope you have a good time keeping bees. I started keeping bees it 9 year's old    



         BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)

[Cindi]

Dave, welcome to our forum, so nice that you found us.  Stick around, this will be a place where you can spend great time, learn, tell your stories and tales, make new friends.  Have the best of a wonderful day, life, great health.  Cindi

[BjornBee]

Dave,
I'll be speaking to the Lehigh beekeeping association on March 19th. It's at some nature center right next to Dorney Park. Can't be more than 10 miles from you. Let me know if I can help out with anything. You can cell Jeff Barndt at 610-282-8008  He is president of the Lehigh club.

[1reb]

Hello and Welcome Dave
There is alot of great information on the forum !!
The members here are willing help and answer your questions, all you need to do is to ask
Johnny

[jdpro5010]

Welcome aboard Dave.  I would listen to Bjorn.  He sure has put alot of good information out there.

[Brian D. Bray]

Correction

Mix one batch at a time
 
  5lbs. per hive it a time. 5lbs. to 1 gallon of water 
  Do not let the bees run out of syrup for at least 6 to 8 weeks

5 lbs of sugar plus 5 pints of hot water equals 1 gallon of 1:1 syrup.  A pint's a pound the world around.  A gallon of syrup weighs 10 lbs.
Why? Because 5 = 5 + 10.  If you place 5 lbs of sugar in a gallon container it will then accept 5 pints of water to fill by volume.

[Cossack]

Welcome aboard Dave,

This is a great site!

[Grandpa Jim]

Welcome Dave from a fellow PA beekeeper.
Jim

[vermmy35]

hello we have a real good time in here :evil: