Goose Wood Bees

[Dexter's Shed]

As we are now on our second year of keeping bees in the woods, I chose another spot to put new beehives, we noticed that the first area as it was in the shade, didn't have foraging bees until around 10am, the new area is much more open, and bees start foraging a good two hours earlier if not more, two of the four original hives made it through the winter, so those are still in the old position, the new area has two hives, with another to be taken over this coming weekend, I've been rushed off my feet with swarm collections this year, already have another five colonies at home in the garden, one of which is a swarm I collected at the beginning of may and are housed in a langstroth hive, these will be my test dummies for the new flow frames from australia due to be delivered september onwards sometime

here's the new out apiary and two hives

https://youtu.be/-iVr8pAqLMU

I'm using rose hives and nationals, commercials are on the other site, if any SWOG member's seriously want to get bees in their woods, but have no idea on where to start, I'm quite happy to give intro days, explaining types of hives, equipment needed etc,

[oldclaypaws]

I'd like bees but have always thought badgers would be a problem. They dig up the bumblebee and wasp nests where they find them and would expect them to also have a go a hive. Have you heard about instances of badgers having a go and breaking into hives, and if so how do you keep them off ? Don't actually like honey much, but I think bees are well cute and love watching them on the flowers.

[boxerman]

Welcome back, both. Long may the love and peace last....

Would it be the lack of light, the lack of warmth or a combination of both that keeps the bees inactive, Dex?

Yes, Paws, badgers will have a go at a hive and they will eat bees tho what they're mainly after is the honey. If you have badgers then putting hives close by would probably be as risky as putting in the way of Winnie the Pooh and expecting him not to eat it.. https://youtu.be/ACjLq_tyaqo

[Dexter's Shed]

yes, the lack of direct sunlight is definitely the reason the bees start foraging later in the day, those two remaining hives will get move come winter time, trying to move them now would mean finding somewhere 3 miles away to house them for a few weeks, before returning to the woods, it's a 3ft or 3 mile rule.

am on lots of different bee forums, have to say in all the years of beekeeping, I have never heard or seen post's from others about badgers, and you'd think if it was common, then people would post on it, we do have badgers in our woods so I'm told, never seen them myself, if the hives are strapped down securely nothing should tip them over.

ocp you may not like honey, but I bet people you know do, also a by product which I know you would enjoy could be made



https://youtu.be/yZMS9mdfLkY

[oldclaypaws]

Once tried 'Lindisfarne Mead' and have to say I wasn't too keen. Tasted a bit too 'honey-ish', which is hardly surprising. One by product that does interest me is beeswax polish. Have you tried making any Dexter? Bet my Oak would look a treat with a couple of coats of it. Not sure how you make it, probably just dissolve the wax in some hot carrier oil like linseed (???). I'd have thought there's a good market for it.

[Dexter's Shed]

Have you tried making any Dexter?.

it's on my "to do list"

[smojo]

Lindisfarne mead not keen myself but Cornish mead - now that takes me back to my youth when I used to go camping there and always brought some back. I've fancied beekeeping for years but I just have too many interests already to devote to another one plus all the kit you need. I'd love to let someone else put some hives in my wood though. I spoke to a guy from a local bee society at the Great Yorkshire show last year and he said he has more offers for garden space than he needs so not sure if I will be able to find someone (haven't tried yet though).

[boxerman]

Well, my two week old bee box now has it's first nest completed and some of the other tubes are being worked on. In the main, they are clearly Leaf Cutter bees but the smaller holes were being checked out tonight by a few tiny little bees - no idea what they are but probably a quarter the size of the Leaf Cutters.