Hola from Costa Rica

CostaRicaBee · July 12, 2011, 11:24:51 AM

Hi there! My wife, daughter, and I moved to Costa Rica a few months ago and we are planning on becoming beekeepers. We don't have any experience, so I have joined this forum with the expectation of learning a lot from all of you! Luckily, we have befriended a couple of beekeepers located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica that can serve as our mentors. We have also signed up to take a beginning beekeeping class at a nearby university. Hopefully with a shelf full of beekeeping books, dozens of bookmarks to resource-rich web sites, and a subscription to Bee Culture, we will be able to successfully start some hives this November, when the "summer" starts in Costa Rica.

Francus · July 12, 2011, 11:42:40 AM

Benvenidos and welcome.

Just out of curiousity, where to beeks get equipment from in Costa Rica? Is most of it made locally?

CostaRicaBee · July 12, 2011, 11:51:52 AM

Locally-made equipment is available and is in most cases cost-effective. However, these days one can easily ship equipment from the states. I have acquired some used equipment from a beekeeper here to start with. I imagine I eventually will make my own boxes, purchase other basic equipment from local suppliers in Costa Rica, and ship special equipment from the States.

Mason · July 12, 2011, 04:53:09 PM

I thought all or almost all honey bees in Costa Rica are AHB?

Great country BTW. My favorite place to visit.

CostaRicaBee · July 12, 2011, 04:57:12 PM

Yes, Mason, that is correct. I guess it will be a little more challenging for me to become comfortable working the hives. :shock:

AllenF · July 12, 2011, 07:37:38 PM

Welcome to the forum.

BlueBee · July 16, 2011, 01:44:41 AM

I saw a show on TV or maybe it was a video on here someplace (can't remember for sure) about a mission in Central America that was using cement hives to hive their bees. Memory is fading, but I think it was in Costa Rica. At least the bugs won't eat the cement.

Sounds like you're in for some interesting experiences, please keep us posted about how it is done down there and how you deal with AHBs.

GeorgeAdams · July 26, 2011, 07:31:32 PM

I suspect that 99% of beekeepers here in Nicaragua use African bees... EXCEPT my mentor got some Italian queens from South Dakota and his bees are very docile. This year's production was down yielding only 6 barrels (plus local sales) using 39 hives.