Posted: Sun Jul 14, 13 8:13 am Post subject: We are getting bees (updated)
I am very excited, Yesterday I discovered a swarm of bees in one of my barns. They have taken up residence in a large wooden ham salting box approx 1m by 0.5 metre that the previous house owners have used to store crockery.
I spoke to my fabulous neighbour who is in his late 80's and he has said (I think) that he will make me a traditional hive for 15 euros and move the bees for me at night and put them under the fig tree in our field next to the house where the bees were always traditionally kept.
We had previously discovered some ruined hives there and there are stone shelves against the house currently covered in brambles.
The local hives are basically wooden boxes with holes in the front and a hinged lid.
He mostly speaks Gallego and my language skills are still quite poor but he reassured me that he will sort it and that there is nothing better than your own honey. When I showed him the box with bees emerging from it he waved me aside and just opened it with his walking stick. As it is the local fiesta this weekend I think everything will swing into motion on Tuesday as everyone is partying until dawn at the moment.
Tims father was a bee keeper and we always wanted to have a hive ourselves, wanting to use top bar hives and be as natural as possible in our methods taking just enough for our own needs.
It looks like Tim will have to develop his skills at speed.
I am thrilled...
Last edited by Piggyphile on Wed Aug 07, 13 4:40 pm; edited 1 time in total
As with so many activities here, such as home slaughter, distilling alcohol selling animals etc the theory and the reality seem to differ and the locals carry on their traditions regardless of bureaucracy.
In the event of success with the swarm relocation I will look into getting a licence using the information you kindly provided although I suspect that I will need to improve my level of spoken Gallego before doing a bee keeping course.
As with so many activities here, such as home slaughter, distilling alcohol selling animals etc the theory and the reality seem to differ and the locals carry on their traditions regardless of bureaucracy.
In the event of success with the swarm relocation I will look into getting a licence using the information you kindly provided although I suspect that I will need to improve my level of spoken Gallego before doing a bee keeping course.
As you say...there is no rush, I am sure there are many others studying hard for their courses...
Tavascarow
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 8407 Location: South Cornwall
Posted: Sun Jul 14, 13 4:53 pm Post subject:
Plough on regardless, & plead ignorance if they say you need bits of paper.
Hope the bees do well for you
I'm intrigued as to what the local hives look like.
Photos please when tis built.
Did they move in on Saturday or is that when you noticed them? There are only a very few days during which swarming bees can be relocated before the three feet (and less concretely the three mile) rule come into play...
Rather than go for the top bar hive, why not try to keep them in the local type of hive? It must have been developed to suit the locality. You can keep them as 'naturally' as you like by minimising inspections. I would suggest though, that if you have disease in the area, you do some inspection. You won't be popular if your bees infect others.
Well I thought the neighbour had given up as nothing happened for several weeks but today I noticed a box is in situ. It might have been there for a while as I hadn't gone in the barn.
The tea chest has been opened and this home made hive has been inserted.
Some close ups of the bees who seem to be making comb going into the box. I couldn't see if there was a bottom to the hive, I use the word hive loosely, it appears to be a box made of planks.
This is the stone plinth next to my house where the hive will go, south facing but shaded by apple and fig trees with the remains of old hives. Currently grazed by cattle.
I have no idea how honey will be harvested. A chap locally just opens his hives once a year and cuts honeycomb out for his own use.
It currently looks as if some of the hive is in the box and some out. It will be interesting to see how it all develops. Definitely not the way of beekeeping is taught by BBKA.
Tavascarow
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 8407 Location: South Cornwall
Well I thought the neighbour had given up as nothing happened for several weeks but today I noticed a box is in situ. It might have been there for a while as I hadn't gone in the barn.
The tea chest has been opened and this home made hive has been inserted.
Some close ups of the bees who seem to be making comb going into the box. I couldn't see if there was a bottom to the hive, I use the word hive loosely, it appears to be a box made of planks.
I have no idea how honey will be harvested. A chap locally just opens his hives once a year and cuts honeycomb out for his own use.
It does look like it's just a fixed comb hive so cutting out comb would be the only way.
Are you hoping they will move in of their own accord?
I guess that is what my neighbour is thinking. He seems to be confident in what he is doing, he is 87 so I bow to his greater knowledge.
I assume that warm dark box is nicer than exposed open chest so they will slowly build more comb inside than out. After a time when there is sufficient comb and the bulk of the bees inside I guess he will close it at night, cut it out of the comb and move it to the new spot, risking the loss of a few on the way. It looks like honey glistening on the outside comb but I am reluctant to get any closer to inspect. Hoping most of the brood is inside the box.
I am certainly no expert, I have read a bit but never done a course and they just turned up unexpectedly, I have no equipment so I see it as a nice bonus. I might get more involved next year if it looks like the bees have moved in successfully and get through the winter.
If they are building in the hive, I would expect them to put the eggs in there rather than outside, so makes sense to have the honey outside.
It will be interesting to see how this develops.
It's normal for the bees to keep the stores above the brood.
Without it they can't survive the winter dearth.
I expect if the queen has moved in to the hive they will move what's left of the honey inside as well.
It will soon be robbing season here, the wasps are already trying to get into my hives.
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