NZBF: Getting started in Takaka
- Thread starter tophertoy
- Start date
Takaka, fantastic place. Kinda wet at the moment no doubt
Welcome to the forum & beekeeping.
Standard advice you’ll see all through the forum I’ll summarise below;
Is there a local club/group you could join?
Have you read Practical Beekeeping in New Zealand (5th edition)
Do you know a beekeeper you could have as a mentor?
Swarms are cheap, but unreliable in terms of timing. Have your gear ready to go.
Seriously consider having two hives. Comparison is a great learning tool, and also a source of rescue solutions.
Read the book
Don’t be disheartened when the first few hives fail… mine did too.
Read the book.
No such thing as a stupid question, but expect multiple answers
Binge through the forum, lots of good advice
Read the book
Good luck, it’s a lot of fun and quite addictive.
Welcome to the forum & beekeeping.
Standard advice you’ll see all through the forum I’ll summarise below;
Is there a local club/group you could join?
Have you read Practical Beekeeping in New Zealand (5th edition)
Do you know a beekeeper you could have as a mentor?
Swarms are cheap, but unreliable in terms of timing. Have your gear ready to go.
Seriously consider having two hives. Comparison is a great learning tool, and also a source of rescue solutions.
Read the book
Don’t be disheartened when the first few hives fail… mine did too.
Read the book.
No such thing as a stupid question, but expect multiple answers
Binge through the forum, lots of good advice
Read the book
Good luck, it’s a lot of fun and quite addictive.
From my experience (wrong country I know!) swarms are very variable in quality so if you can find a reputable supplier, that would give you a good start. A local beekeeping club might be able to help with supplying bees in any case, if you have one nearby.
Very worthwhile having two or more colonies as one can be used to kick-start the other if something goes wrong - and a good source of comparison. If you have an empty hive, you might be lucky if you set it up as a bait hive before swarming season. Sometime bees DO do as you ask!
Very worthwhile having two or more colonies as one can be used to kick-start the other if something goes wrong - and a good source of comparison. If you have an empty hive, you might be lucky if you set it up as a bait hive before swarming season. Sometime bees DO do as you ask!
in my experience, swarms of bees are pretty besmirched. And when you place the swarm in the hive, it is advisable to knock down the tick before it moves into the brood. On drugs, decide for yourself, anyone will do.