Author Topic: Newbie: best way to purchase bees (Read 5114 times)

Miikeboyle · « **on:** February 29, 2016, 05:38:53 am »

Hi guys, I am new to the bee keeping world and don't have bees yet but have been reading as much as I can. I'm interested in getting a hive or 2. Now Autumn is here I was thinking its prob best to just keep reading and acquiring some equipment and get some bees early spring. I'm just wondering what's the best way to get bees and roughly how much do they cost? I figured I'd prob be buying a nuc with bees from a bee supplies shop. Just curious as to how much these cost. I'm located Near Braidwood NSW. I'm going to ask at the local bee supply shop next time I'm in town but just though it would be good to get a range of answers rather than one. Thanks.

Dalon · « **Reply #1 on:** February 29, 2016, 06:20:50 am »

Hi Mike,

I got my first two hives back in November. I bought package bees from Hornsby Beekeeping at $125 a pop. They have a few shops around Sydney, although may be a little far from you. Probably not the cheapest method but I have so say they are very docile and have been extremely productive - I'm onto my third deep on each and hoping to do a small extraction at the end of March - I want to keep them well fed over winter so I can do a few splits in spring. I hope the suburban surroundings mean they will start early. Keep in touch, I may have a nuc available if you're in the area.

Cheers leon

Miikeboyle · « **Reply #2 on:** February 29, 2016, 06:27:33 am »

Hey Dalon, thanks for the reply. I'm actually living up in Sydney as well. Kinda split between the two. I'm located down southern Sydney but I'll try and check out Hornsby beekeeping. Thanks for the heads up.

Rurification · « **Reply #3 on:** February 29, 2016, 09:17:43 am »

Welcome to the forum. Lots of great beeks here on both sides of the equator.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 29, 2016, 12:47:41 pm »

Welcome to Beemaster.
The best way to get bees is to catch a swarm from a natural hive.

If you buy bees, find out what they treated them with, the best answer is nothing. What ever they are treating with is what you will need to use.

Jim

yantabulla · « **Reply #5 on:** February 29, 2016, 08:15:10 pm »

Quote from: sawdstmakr on February 29, 2016, 12:47:41 pm

Welcome to Beemaster.
The best way to get bees is to catch a swarm from a natural hive.

If you buy bees, find out what they treated them with, the best answer is nothing. What ever they are treating with is what you will need to use.

Jim

We don't have Varroa in Australia. We don't "treat" our bees.

Richard M · « **Reply #6 on:** February 29, 2016, 10:05:40 pm »

Worth contacting this bloke for hive nucs - http://thebunyipbeekeeper.com.au/bunyipbees

Flycaster · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2016, 05:26:13 am »

Is that where you got your queens Richard?

Miikeboyle · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2016, 06:38:43 am »

Thanks for the suggestions. So far it's looking like it's going to cost about $120 for a nuc with bees. It would be great if I can get in contact with someone who catches swarms and is looking of offload some. I guess I have all winter to find someone. I'm thinking about making a few 5 frame nucs and trying my luck at capturing some swarms in spring. I've got nothing to lose and you never know, I might get lucky.

Dalon · « **Reply #9 on:** March 01, 2016, 07:45:47 am »

I wonder if it's too late to capture swarms via a bait box. Can anyone confirm if that's possible or is it too late in the season for us in NSW/VIC ?

Honeycomb king · « **Reply #10 on:** March 04, 2016, 07:57:22 am »

Any swarm caught this late in the season isn't worth anything. Any later than mid January any swarm, and occasionally you get one, when you catch it then it leaves, and then you'll catch it again and again etc. Knock yourself out. If you do happen to catch it use it as a bee bomb into a struggling hive.
You probably need to get your head around why bees swarm, etc etc etc.
Good question though, as a full-time beekeeper I know the cycle of season etc . I've watched and noted in the past few weeks things like, drones being evicted, propolis being placed on the top of the frames of the second box, changes in the brood pattern and pollen placement etc. These are things that are hard to teach and are better learnt..... does all that make sense?

Dalon · « **Reply #11 on:** March 04, 2016, 09:34:15 am »

Certainly does, thanks HK.
I've read a lot of literature, I was looking to apply it to our region. The flora guide in this forum helps with understanding individual plant cycles, but living in Sydney suburb there is a broader variety throughout the season. I was interested if there are implications in a greater period of swarming with an (assumed) constant flow in cities. I've just got my first drones about two weeks ago, interesting that you're seeing them evicted. As a new BK, I guess I don't want the first season to end....

Miikeboyle · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2016, 01:04:09 pm »

A mate of mine just had a swarm of bees take up residence in his garage roof insulation in Wollongong. Apparently it's a really big colony and I guess the fact that it's been 30 degrees plus for the past week has prolonged summer. I guess the problem will be if the bees will have enough time to set up camp in a new hive before winter comes.

Honeycomb king · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2016, 12:38:55 am »

Dalon, yes still plenty of drones here too and more hatching.my point was more as to things you should be watching as seasonal indicators. Yes one drone being kicked out of one hive doesn't mean pack your bees down its winter.just keep your eyes and mind open.
Bee s are photo sensitive that is they make changes in the hive as to the lengthening and shortening of the amount of daylight hours. End of winter as the day length increases so will the brood, as the days shorten they will reduce the brood area, etc etc this cycle affects the swarm too.
As I alluded to in my last post there can be many reasons as to why a hive will swarm, need more space, reproduction, leaving because of destruction of the hive, environment etcetc. The way they swarm and the timing tell you a lot about the hive. If we have a hive trying to swarm in mid January/February it will not stay, it will settle in one spot then another.so at the end of the day you get it into a box when you come back tomorrow it will be on a fence post or up a tree again. Then during the day it will fly up and down amongst the hives a again settle some where. Best thing I've found is to throw I t into a strong hive and let them sort It out. It will be a faulty queen causing the issue.

Mikeboyle check that your mates swarm may have been there for quite awhile and as they have made home in a roof cavity this hot weather has them hanging out the front as the tin roof has gotten too hot for them etc.

Spring swarms will almost always be better than a summer swarm. In spring the are swarming with the conditions, that is longer warmer days growing floral supplies. In autumn they are swarming against the condition s, shorter days will they have enough season left to build up enough for winter survival etc.

Dalon · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2016, 08:07:20 am »

Thanks again HK. You're right, the art of understanding the indicators will come with time and probably a few more hives to help understand the array of variables and common trends!

Steampunked · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2016, 08:32:00 am »

My bees cost $100, sans equipment, in Vic. I already had a suit (purchased on sale), and for some reason I already had some equipment like a brush etc. I made a hive over winter, each hive with four boxes and half-frames costs me about $150-$200 to make (I buy fairly good wood and decent paint etc, you could make them much cheaper).

If I did it all over again, I would try to catch a wild swarm, but then, I might not have the courage to do it without the experience I've had now with good-natured bees. It might be a good idea to call council and ask them if there is anywhere that repeatedly has problems with needing to remove bees, and bait that area.

Wombat2 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2016, 10:48:42 pm »

Welcome to the world of Beeks. Any reputable seller of bees will want your DPI Hive Registration Number before selling you an active hive. Doesn't cost much - here in Qld its $14.50 for 1-10 hives per year.

Honeycomb king · « **Reply #17 on:** March 13, 2016, 08:18:30 am »

I had one of those end of season swarms this morning, when I arrived at hives in the north east. There it was hanging on the top of another hive. I placed an empty neuc box next to it, pushed the bees onto the up turned neuc lid and flicked them into the box. Half hour later they were all out on top of the neuc box. Ah well I was busy and not going to waste time on that.another half hour and they were on top of another hive (only about 5 meters from the first). Same again sat the neuc box on top and they walked on in, easy...... yep you guessed it. Out they came again and landed on another hive, which I was almost up to with my work anyway. The hive it had landed on was a good strong hive so as I pulled a few full/capped frames I flicked the swarm into the hive. Sorted, well for me any how. As I finished works an hour or so later a quick look did see a few bees being evicted, but all was calm. All sorted for the hive/swarm too.

Yes I know what the bad beekeeping was that lead to this swarm. But time limits create some negative outcomes.
Any how just thought of this forum as it was all happening and thought I'd press the post button. Again.

Dalon · « **Reply #18 on:** March 14, 2016, 09:17:18 am »

Well worth hitting that post button. Thanks HK for an example

Richard M · « **Reply #19 on:** March 19, 2016, 09:16:12 pm »

Quote from: Flycaster on March 01, 2016, 05:26:13 am

Is that where you got your queens Richard?

No, mine were from Hawkesbury Apiaries (NSW), Kangaroo Island (SA) and Covey Queens (Qld).

I think I'll stick with breeduing my own now - Tas DPIWE just hit me with a $27 inspection fee for the one I bought from Covey Queens last week. I might just quietly ignore that one - see if they follow it up or not.