How often should I check my hive?
During the summer, and particularly during the swarming season it is a good idea to inspect your bees very 7 - 9 days to look for Queen cells and other signs of swarming. Remember not to disturb you bees too often as every time you open them you can loose up to a 1lb in honey. Every 7 days should also fit well into your work/domestic routine.
In the winter you should try and leave your bees alone as much as possible but should check on the weight of the hive by 'hefting' it (lifting one side) once a month. You should also check it for mouse or rodent attack and to ensure that it has not been pushed over or out of line. If you have a shallow lid on your hive you will also need to check that the lid has not been blown off by the wind (a couple of well placed bricks should also help). If your hive is on low lying ground then you may also wish to check for floor risk.
Does my hive need to be near water - e.g. a pond
Bees can and do fly up to 3 miles collecting various things as they go and they will also find water in any number of places. So in short whilst it is good for them to have water at hand (less flying time etc) it is not essential in our climate.
How do I know my hive is swarming?
There are a number of indicators such as:-
- the building of queen cells and queen cups into which the Queen has or will lay an egg
- very large number of bees on the face of the hive
- a large volume of bees in the air around the hive
- a marked reduction or cessation of eggs being layed
Does my hive need to be next to a high fence?
No your hive doesn't need to be next to a high fence. Bees rapidly gain height on leaving the hive rising to 15 feet in matter of a few yards once they leave their hive. That said it is never a good idea to have your bees pointing at a footpath. In addition bees seldom fly through a hedge but they can do so.
Should I join the Newcastle and District Beekeepers Association?
You don't have to join a beekeeping association such as Newcastle and District but there are a number of very good reasons for doing so.
- you get membership of the British Bee Keepers Association (BBKA) that brings with it access to online forums, help features and a regular newsletter telling you about new developments in bee keeping, honey regulations, briefings and updates on the more advance aspects of bees and beekeeping
- you get public liability and product insurance cover of up to £5 million which in these litigious days is well worth having and is essential if you want to put your hives on any forestry commission sites and on some farmers fields
- you meet local beekeepers who can often provide support and guidance on difficult problems and who may be happy to take new members under their wing
- The Newcastle Association have their own apiary and have regular 'Apiary Days' at which you can both observe and participate gaining important additional experience with bees other than your own
- there is a programme on events over the winter so that you don't loose contact or forget what you learned about bees when they are less active
- you will get a quarterly newsletter focused more on local issues and more relevant to the area than the national mailings
- In addition to the Public Liability Insurance in the event that your hives have to be destroyed due to disease
- you get the opportunity to pass knowledge on to new members
- you can always join the Committee and help shape the work and the activity of the Association and move on to the Regional and National level if you want to
- often retiring beekeepers (yes some beekeepers do actually retire) sell their equipment through the local association giving you access to supplies of equipment at reasonable prices. Also your local association is often the best place to secure a supply of new bees
