bee keeping....

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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:56 pm

does anyone here keep bees?
i`m wondering if its very high maintanence / too much work.

i`m thinking about starting it up, but would like to hear from someone who has first hand experience.

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:44 pm

I have trouble with just one dog.

I don't think I could handle taking six thousand bees for a walk every morning.

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:57 pm

i`m thinking about the small bags i have to use to pick up the bee poo too !

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:05 pm

And the tiny cotton wool buds you'll need to get the beeswax from their ears...

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:45 pm

And don't forget the vaccinations... Try getting all those bees to hold still for the vet.. It's really hard to find muzzles in thier size.

Western Union · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:49 pm

And let�s not forget that they will KILL YOU TO DEATH AT THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION! Bees are the only creature scientifically proven to be evil.

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:34 pm

I kept them for a while & it was way to much work unless you have some very expensive equipment to get the honey out of the combs. Otherwise you will have to take each slat of comb, cut it, let it drain, and bottle it. It is a very sticky mess.
One day when robbing the hive, those little buggers got really mad. They coated me like a suit. I did have protection but got stung many times. That was the end of the bees.
Other than that they were fun to watch, especially when the swarm.

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 2301

Your best bet is to contact another bee keeper in your area. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:52 pm

I have noticed that the local Safeway frequently has honey on sale for much less than it would cost me to produce through my own set of beehives. Plus the people who bottle the honey pay people to get beestung for me.

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:04 pm

<br>You could always invest your money here instead...

http://www.hivessavelives.com/

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:50 pm

I once had hives

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

your neighbours will like you more with bees. I think with any exotic pet, such as bees its best to test them on lads first (worst a lad can do to a few tiny bees is watch them fly off and build a nest somewhere else.

Also make your lad get up close and name all the bees

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:53 am

Tommo Shanter wrote:

<br>You could always invest your money here instead...

http://www.hivessavelives.com/

That looks pretty cool. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:02 am

this thread has had me laughing harder than any so far.

I could make quite a nice comic out of the material presented up to this point. Especally the image of a dilligent owner trying to get thousands of bees to sit still for the vet. That's comedy man! yeah.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:29 am

Actually, I am very interested in the question posed in the OP, as with recent record oil prices, I'm keen on finding alternative sources of BP.

I'll buzz off now, the collective is calling...........

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:39 am

You better buy a book about names. I think it would be hard keeping track of all the names for each bee.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:03 am

You could always go with 1, 2, 3, 4.. and so on.. It's not like bees come when they're called... Smile

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:54 am

great info guys,
i`ve got some local information about the club thats in my hometown.

i`ve just missed a beginner course. maybe next year...

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:13 am

Glad we could be of help!

Always here for you mate.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:16 am

^^Just what I was going to suggest. An evening class of some sort would be a good idea. Also check out any farmers markets near you. There's usually someone selling home made honey that may be able to point you in the right direction.

I know someone that keeps bees on the flat roof of his house in London. I'm not a big fan of honey, but his tastes as good as any other I've tried.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:13 pm

One problem with the evening class idea is that bees tend to sleep at night.
You'll be standing there going 'Here boy! Here boy!'
and all you will get is zzzzzzzzzzzz (or Buzzzzzzzzzzz)

P.S. why do the damn things keep burrowing into my flower beds? I go to turn over the soil and a seriously hacked off bee comes zipping out.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:19 pm

Please tell me youre planning on making lads do this Laughing

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:15 pm

gaz_c_85 wrote:

Please tell me youre planning on making lads do this Laughing

would you buy lad honey ?

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:22 pm

^^ Better if lads were asked to make wasp honey.

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:47 pm

I bet everyone visiting this thread now is thinking, "crap" all the good bee jokes have been taken already.