We now have 2 healthy hives of bees, with Matt doing a wonderful job as farm beekeeper, in his space gear.
Our shared philosophy is one of organic, minimal disturbance, natural beekeeping. Bees are an important part of the local ecosystem, and as such we value them and their pollinating activities greatly. Any honey that we might be able to steal from them (after their own needs are more than adequately covered) is a bonus. As is the anti-arthritis effects of the occasional sting.
Matt has replaced the floors of the hives with metal screens, so that evidence of varoa mites is easily seen, and is regularly dusting the bees with icing sugar (ordinary white sugar ground here in a flour mill – as icing sugar in shops often contains unwanted chemicals). This encourages the bees to clean themselves more vigorously, which helps keep the mite numbers down.
We are also working towards eliminating foundation sheets in the hives, presently only giving them starter strips, so that the bees build their own wax from scratch. The theory is that this also helps with varroa mites, as the bees make smaller cells, and hatch before the mites do. And we feel it is generally healthier to do things as naturally as possible, trying to avoid any commercial materials, such as foundation, that might contain unwanted additives that could harm the colony.
They certainly seem healthy.
In the last couple of weeks we have had two swarms turn up on the farm – seemingly attempting to take over one of our hives! This was such an experience, the air completely full of bees, which then settled onto a willow tree (both times). Although Matt did manage to get the bees into a hive, the swarm didnt stay.
Tom, who was visiting took these amazing photos. Cheers Tom.
Didn’t the second swarn stay either? And did they settle in the same place again?
Sounds great! I will be starting beekeeping using a Warré hive this year. Warré’s idea was also of minimal disturbance and letting the bees (who know more than we do anyway) do their own thing.
If you’re interested, here’s some good info:
http://warre.biobees.com/beginner.htm
And Warré’s book on beekeeping translated into English: http://www.selbstversorgerforum.de/bienen/sustainable_beekeeping.pdf
Construction info for a Warré hive (easy to build yourself!) is here: http://www.selbstversorgerforum.de/bienen/bilder/Emil_Warre_Technische_Zeichnungen_engl.pdf
From what I’ve heard bees like the Warré hive, so swarms will settle in them, too. I’ve heard from a German beekeeper who caught 18 (!!!) swarms in her Warré hives last year!
My husband, son and I are considering maybe moving to Portugal next year and since Warré recommends swarms for starting a hive (swarms are the healthiest), I was wondering if it’s very common for swarms to occur in Central Portugal? I assume it depends on the location, but where I live in Germany for example, swarms are not so common because the local beekeepers discourage them.
Anyway, good luck beekeeping!!
Luise
Sorry, typo in the one link:
http://www.selbstversorgerforum.de/bienen/bilder/Emile_Warre_Technische_Zeichnungen_engl.pdf
zoe, apparently there was another today while we were out, and no the 2nd didnt really even settle. i think our pond is a swarm magnet!
thanks luise. matt is making a warre hive, and i hope to find time to build a top bar.
it does seem that swarms are common here.
Hi Luise
Thanks for the links. As Andy says we are making a Warre hive but I am looking to make several changes to Warres original designs 1) adding an open mesh floor – varroa mite were not a problem in Warres day 2) a modified roof. When the modifications have been made I will post images of the completed hive.
Matt