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Great advice as always. Having got through last winter with 4 colonies (also had two deadouts) did a spring demaree and a few splits (not all successful and lost a large colony to drone layers) but now with 3 nucs and 3 colonies. Made a few blunders along the way, but as you say having backup resources gives scope to rectify issues, plus the bees have helped me out as they are much smarter than me!. Have really enjoyed doing the splits, it certainly helped reduce swarming, have not bought in any queens this year, touchwood the queens seem good natured and productive. They are all daughters and daughters from one of your Buckfast's bought a few years back. But i do realise things can go wrong, especially over winter, so never take things for granted! Winnie the Poo always said you never know with bees, he was a smart one. Cheers
I had a laying worker nuc due to a failed VQ in late spring, took the nuc a good fee miles away, shook them all out and recovered the use of the nuc, which now heads a bmh Bf1 😃
The cost of adding an extra 2 or 3 hives is quite low relative to getting all the other equipment, it's easily worth it. Also, the economics make much more sense with a few more hives, that way you can actually make your money back in a couple of seasons and it's just honey (pun intended) thereafter.
Also when having 2 colonies at least you can split them both for example and let the new queens get mated with the other colony since they can't mate with drones of the same colony specially if you live in an area which doesn't have beekeepers , I went through having one colony and it was very frustrating for a new beekeeper you must not buy One Colony but two at least
Interested in having your own personal, expert online beekeeping mentor with access to exclusive advert free videos and guaranteed priority replies to comments? Join the BMH bee mentoring programme HERE - www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/beementoring
Great advice as always. Having got through last winter with 4 colonies (also had two deadouts) did a spring demaree and a few splits (not all successful and lost a large colony to drone layers) but now with 3 nucs and 3 colonies. Made a few blunders along the way, but as you say having backup resources gives scope to rectify issues, plus the bees have helped me out as they are much smarter than me!. Have really enjoyed doing the splits, it certainly helped reduce swarming, have not bought in any queens this year, touchwood the queens seem good natured and productive. They are all daughters and daughters from one of your Buckfast's bought a few years back. But i do realise things can go wrong, especially over winter, so never take things for granted! Winnie the Poo always said you never know with bees, he was a smart one. Cheers
You are doing great Peter. Love watching your apiaries grow!
Always Champion advice. Thanks Mate.
I had a laying worker nuc due to a failed VQ in late spring, took the nuc a good fee miles away, shook them all out and recovered the use of the nuc, which now heads a bmh Bf1 😃
Good educational video.
Cheers Lawrence
The cost of adding an extra 2 or 3 hives is quite low relative to getting all the other equipment, it's easily worth it. Also, the economics make much more sense with a few more hives, that way you can actually make your money back in a couple of seasons and it's just honey (pun intended) thereafter.
Yep.
Also when having 2 colonies at least you can split them both for example and let the new queens get mated with the other colony since they can't mate with drones of the same colony specially if you live in an area which doesn't have beekeepers , I went through having one colony and it was very frustrating for a new beekeeper you must not buy One Colony but two at least
Even if your second colony is in a cardboard nuc because that’s all you can afford you’re much off.