A plotholder at my allotment site has applied to keep bees.
Are there any issues I should be aware of?
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

In article ,
The Reids writes:
| A plotholder at my allotment site has applied to keep bees.
| Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Following up to Nick Maclaren

| Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.

that's my impression, wasps are a different matter!
SWMBO is going on about when they "swarm", don't know if that's
an issue? Otherwise we should get better pollination.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Erm, try not to get stung??

I'm actually thinking about joining my local Bee keeping club*, so once I have been a few times, I would be able to answer that.
I can always look up the book for you if nobody else doesn't respond before I have done that.


* - Bee Keepers Anonymous ;-)

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 13:58:11 +0000, The Reids wrote:

A plotholder at my allotment site has applied to keep bees.
Are there any issues I should be aware of?

The occasional free jar of honey?
On eof the neighbours about 100 yds away has around around 20 hives against
the side of his house. Never had any problems, nor heard anyone
complaining. We have a fair few bees in the garden but then I plant flowers
to attract them anyway. No problems with swarming or anything.

--
Tim C.

In article , The Reids writes:
| Following up to Nick Maclaren
|
| | Are there any issues I should be aware of?
|
| Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
| need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.
|
| that's my impression, wasps are a different matter!
| SWMBO is going on about when they "swarm", don't know if that's
| an issue? Otherwise we should get better pollination.

Just avoid them when they swarm and don't panic if you fail to
do so. I have walked through a swarm, and there are dozens of
photographs with people allowing swarms to crawl over them.
They will swarm at most once a year or so, and most beekeepers
use queen excluders which stop even that.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
The Reids wrote:

Following up to Nick Maclaren

| Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.

that's my impression, wasps are a different matter!
SWMBO is going on about when they "swarm", don't know if that's
an issue?

Nee problem, man - howay, git y'self a beard --
http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/september98/beebeard.gif

Nee problem, man - howay, git y'self a beard --
http://aginfo.psu.edu/news/september98/beebeard.gif

I bet that tickles!

--
Tim C.

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , The Reids
writes:
Following up to Nick Maclaren

Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.

that's my impression, wasps are a different matter!
SWMBO is going on about when they "swarm", don't know if that's
an issue? Otherwise we should get better pollination.

Just avoid them when they swarm and don't panic if you fail to
do so. I have walked through a swarm, and there are dozens of
photographs with people allowing swarms to crawl over them.
They will swarm at most once a year or so, and most beekeepers
use queen excluders which stop even that.

But bees are at their least aggressive when swarming: the task then
is to get a new home set up, as well-stocked and well-"manned" as
possible. The defence mechanisms come once they're settled in; and
some strains seem to be "hotter" in defence than others. It's also, I
believe, a good idea not to leave sweet rubbish lying about: the idea
is that this can encourage gang wars, which put the bees in an
aggressive-defensive frame of mind. There's most unlikely to be any
danger, but I'd keep some anti-sting stuff in the shed.

Mike.

Following up to Tim Challenger

Are there any issues I should be aware of?

The occasional free jar of honey?

there's a point, pretend i'm considering complaining, need
something to keep me sweet?
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 15:47:20 +0000, The Reids
wrote:

Following up to Tim Challenger

Are there any issues I should be aware of?

The occasional free jar of honey?

there's a point, pretend i'm considering complaining, need
something to keep me sweet?


It happens ;~)) Free honey is a very useful sweetener, works well for
the bee-keeper and the aggrieved party. If the bee-keeper is competent
and responsible they will be aware of precautions they can take to
ensure the bees fly upwards away from the hive rather than low across
next door's plot.
I would hope that in a sensitive location like that they will ensure
the bees kept are a docile strain.
Spraying shouldn't be an issue if everbody observes the precautions
given on every pack of pesticide.
You will all get better pollination.
Some of you may get a fascinating insight into the lives of these
wonderful creatures.
I've kept bees adjacent to our walled kitchen garden here for nearly
30 years with no major casualties.
Anybody with a BO problem or wearing certain strongly perfumed
cosmetics may find themselves subject to the bees' attention, as will
anybody who tries to vandalise or disturb the hives.
Most problems if any will occur while the beekeeper is working on the
bees so if things start to look nasty I would hope he would close the
hives quickly and let things settle down.

=================================================

Rod

Weed my email address to reply.
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

Mike Lyle wrote:
.. It's also, I
believe, a good idea not to leave sweet rubbish lying about: the idea
is that this can encourage gang wars, which put the bees in an
aggressive-defensive frame of mind


or do they just get ****ed and aggressive eating the fermenting fruit? (;-)

pk

"The Reids" wrote in message
...
Following up to Nick Maclaren

| Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.

that's my impression, wasps are a different matter!
SWMBO is going on about when they "swarm", don't know if that's
an issue? Otherwise we should get better pollination.

As a matter of interest, would having a lot of bees around do anything to
drive away wasps?

In article ,
pk wrote:
Mike Lyle wrote:
. It's also, I
believe, a good idea not to leave sweet rubbish lying about: the idea
is that this can encourage gang wars, which put the bees in an
aggressive-defensive frame of mind

or do they just get ****ed and aggressive eating the fermenting fruit? (;-)

Nah. That's elephants.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Duncan Heenan wrote:
"The Reids" wrote in message
...
Following up to Nick Maclaren

Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Whether you are allergic to bee stings. Even then, all you
need to do is to take care. Bees are cuddly creatures.

that's my impression, wasps are a different matter!
SWMBO is going on about when they "swarm", don't know if that's
an issue? Otherwise we should get better pollination.

As a matter of interest, would having a lot of bees around do
anything to drive away wasps?

The wasps knows honey is around but in return for trying to get the honey
they have themselves torn to pieces. When I lived in Croydon, a next door
neighbour showed me this happening. Sometimes bees get a little agitated
for some reason and will 'bump' you to let you know you're too close to the
hive. This 'protection' range can be possibly upto 100ft so it can be a bit
tough on neighbours but at least it gives them much needed exercise as they
run back inside.

Richard.