Beginners Beekeeping

Hi Jan

I live in Sydney Australia.

I am interested in starting beekeeping as a hobby.

I'm a hands on person who likes to make and do everything for myself rather then buying the pre-made tools such as the hives, the protective gear and the bees itself.

I just need help in providing for the bees and their welfare.

So I been searching around but have not come up with an answer, I hope you can help me.

My basic question is can you influence a bee to a brand new hive so they will colonize (such as placing some sort of food honey, sugar or flowers in the hive) without having to buy or catch them?

Also the beekeeping guides that are sold online, will their technique work any where in the world or do I need to purchase an Australian bee guide for help?

I hope to hear from you soon so I can start buzzing as well.

Kind Regards

Hien Du

..................Jan's Answer...................

Hello Hien

I applaud you for wanting to take up the art or hobby of beekeeping and hope the answer I give is the one you want to hear.

In answer to your question the answer is yes, it is possible to entice a swarm of bees to move into your hive.

However, the conditions must be correct and of course the bees should be looking for a new home. They send out a few bee scouts to do this.

If a suitable home is discovered they report back to the rest of the colony and perform one of their dance routines which communicate the place to the other bees.

To entice them, but please not your neighbors as you should be enticing a swarm of wild bees, you will need ideally a box with a tiny opening smeared with something interesting to entice them such as honey or alternatively they love lemon scent.

Hopefully you will also have a ready supply of fresh nectar in the form of plants they will like.

Hang this box at above head height, preferably in the shade in a tree or somewhere suitable and basically wait.

Check the box often at least once a day. When you have captured your wild swarm very carefully place tape over the entrance, remove from the tree and take to the hive you are providing them with.

Or you could just have an excellent ready made hive waiting for them.

I strongly advise you to talk with a beekeeper in the first instance before attempting any of this.

Bees on the whole like to be left alone and if you were to frighten them they could possibly attack.

My advice would be to buy your bees from a reputable seller.

If you read my Beekeeping Forum you will be able to read an interview I had with a top beekeeper Phil Chandler.

Phil runs his own beekeeping forum (there is a link provided) anyone can join and there will always be an expert available to help you further before you decide which book to buy.

I wish you luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

Jan