Jump to content
The Corroboree

Recommended Posts

I have for a while had an interest in beekeeping. But living in suburbia I though it wasn't really possible. however it seems there are people in Canberra managing hives on suburban blocks with few problems. There is also a backyard beekeeping course coming up at the local TAFE (CIT) which I am interested in doing. I have a few options away from my place which might work too.

just wondering if anyone else is into beekeeping?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

yeah i got quite enthusiastic (with little time available) in the concept, not only for general honey consumption but also for making psychoactive honeys in a greenhouse situation.

My reading into it was limited I must say, but most of the info i came up with just didn't seem viable down as far south as i am (I was aiming at farming native bees specifically) from what i gathered, the good stingless honey makers were more of a warmer northern species.

There must be southern species as i've vaguely heard of rumours of sugarbag around the murray, else the exotic honey bee would be viable and i've seen quite a number of hives around outer melbourne, but no idea how well they were producing in a semi-urban situation.

I set the project aside for when i get land in the long run, I think it's definitely a worth while venture.

Florilegium in Sydney were selling a couple of books on the subject at last catalogue, but yeah would be available in many book stores of course :) Good luck man!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have been keeping bees for about 6 years now as a bit of fun. I just thought I would like to see and it worked out well. Very interesting and they can be done with minimal husbandry.

I live SE NSW and they do fine down there.

I would forget the native bees; from what I understand they are hard work and the yields are low.

The year before last, when I had a bit more time, we got about 140kg of honey from our 3 hives in the bush.

This book is not bad http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/resources/bookshop/beebook

It is one of the few modern beekeeping books in Australia.

There are a few excellent older beginners books that you can pick up second hand. One is called Backyard Beekeeping. I am away from my library so cant remember the other ones.

It is well worth reading a few books before getting started.

Have fun with it.

PS. I have used Bindaree Bee Supplies at Murrambatemen for nucleus colonies and also supplies. They have been excellent and always helpful. (sorry for the unsolicited testimony but I saw that you are in Canberra)

Edited by dbbard

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've had a hive of native stingless bees (trigona carbonaria) for over a year and havn't had any problems. They pollinate my two macadamias alot better than european honey bees which seem to knock alot of flowers off. I've had a much bigger fruit set than previous years.

If its honey your after then the european honey bee is the go, as dbbard said. Comparatively native bees produce around 1kg of honey a year depending on location. This is because they are alot smaller, only forage around 100m from the hive and can only fly if its 18 degrees C or higher. So these are factors to take into consideration depending where you live. They naturally occur in SE Queensland and as far south as Bega in NSW.

I like them because they don't sting so you can get up close and watch them as they come and go with different coloured resins and pollen. Apparently the honey, sugarbag has a tangy lemon bush flavor although I'm yet to try it as i'll leave them alone this year so they have enough honey for winter.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have for a while had an interest in beekeeping. But living in suburbia I though it wasn't really possible. however it seems there are people in Canberra managing hives on suburban blocks with few problems. There is also a backyard beekeeping course coming up at the local TAFE (CIT) which I am interested in doing. I have a few options away from my place which might work too.

just wondering if anyone else is into beekeeping?

 

Been thinking of getting back into beekeeping. Looking into a crane for the ute first.

Had a few nice hives in Bendigo, peaceful bees...

Then some 'friends' left their old hives at our place over summer, and our bees turned into agro stingers-banged against the windows for 1/2 an hour when we'ld try and rob the hive.

To settle the colony down, a new queen (Italian) had to be installed. Apparently an 'evil' queen had taken over our hives.

Nothing beats a homemade mead.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I Would really love a native bee hive...

Apparently, because of the Hive beetle all honey bees are having a hard time staying alive.. and no bees means no nothing,,

Australia is currently exporting native bees to america because they are Aggressive they will destroy anything that entered there hive.

Australian native bees for the win!!

..Read more About it here

Edited by vual

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Native bee honey isn't as thick as euro bee honey though so weight of production is not really a factor. You also need to set your hive up a little differently..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Its more Varroa destructor & CCD that are killing the apiarists & their bees, small hive beetle & industrial harvesting techniques are just the final nails in their collective coffins.

We have had Small Hive Beetles (Aethina tumid)since at least 2002.

NZ now has a pesticide resistant strain of Varroa destructor so its just a matter of time before we get it :o

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My dad recently knocked me up a top bar hive, now I'm just waiting on moving to the country, then I'll try and find a local apiarist for a swarm or nucleus. I've got most of my info from The Barefoot Beekeeper including plans for the Top Bar hive and book on setting up and looking after bees on a small scale.

Edited by Mt.B

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a word of caution to those keeping stingless bees (and Apis), there have been a number of Trigona hives stolen of late so please make sure your hives are secure, out of sight & preferably marked in an inconspicuous spot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thats sickening that native bee hives are being stolen, If anyone seriously wants to get hold of a native bee hive without stealing it here is what you do:

Go threw the yellow pages find all the "Arborist / Tree lopper" Company's, phone them up or email and ask them to call you as soon as they cut down a tree with a bee hive in it.

They will love this offer because you will save them time and worry being there at there job site ready to collect the hive as soon as the tree hits the ground.

Yes i work as a Arborist and we get a hive every 4months or so, dont call my company there all mine!, Do i feel bad about this? No, why?.....

Because If you move a native bee hive you must move it only 5inches a day else the bee's will forget were the hive is.

The other option is to block the hole and move the hive a few K's away, so if we drop a tree with a hive in it then that drop is more then 5inches, hense the bees will not know were there hive is, so leaving it there on the floor would be irresponsible, the responsible thing to do is move it a few K's.

Good luck,

/Vual

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

if you where to get in to keeping bees, where do start?

can you buy a queen off the net?

cheers

Edited by San Rainbow

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

http://www.bindaree.com.au/ this is my local supplier but I'm sure you have someone ( or a group ) near you.

I'm actually starting a course next weekend which goes for 4 weeks ( 4 days) I look forward to getting started!

Edited by watertrade

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a similar experience to worowa. Had some really nice bees take up residence in a tree in the yard and pollinate everything in sight, and there was a delicious honey smell all around the outside of the house on warm days. Then I guess a bellicose queen moved in and suddenly we were all getting stung every couple of weeks. Bee stings can cause a cumulative allergy, so even if you aren't allergic per se, if you get stung enough you will likely end up with very unpleasant swelling and throbbing. Also, they seemed to love burrowing down into my hair to sting me on the scalp. Getting stung on the scalp sucks.

Good luck on your endeavours though, Watertrade, it's lovely having lots of bees around the garden.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is a Apis group near you san rainbow, mudgeeraba i think from memory.

Or if your after Trig's theres a bloke at Elanora who often has a few for sale, i'm sure i have his no. here some where

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I swarmed my hive this time last week and it looks like they are happy with their new home. Very exciting!

I ended up getting my swarm through one of the people on this bee removal list that is in my area. They even let me come out with them and help remove a few.

http://www.beekeepers.org.au/bee_removal.html

Now it's time to let them be and settle in and build their comb for brood and food. I'm not planning on harvesting any honey this summer as I want to make sure they are strong and healthy with enough stores for the winter.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just hived 2 wild swarms that landed in my backyard over this last fortnight.

Each swarm is estimated at no less than 10,000 bees. One filled a whole 10 frame box immediately. Massive!

Within 2 weeks they'll have thousands more lil bees

and maybe 40-50kg of honey stored in their brood chambers.

I've got 2 hives in a small backyard with no probs at all. Next door has kids and dogs..

and even the bees flight patch crosses there yard-

still with no problems.

Yeh- I bought my first (8 frame) from Bindaree. He's incredibly overpriced, and for me he was just too 'slow' to give good advice. It actually hurt to hear him speaking at the snails pace he was. I've got the guys number who supplies him,

and he's sells assembled 10 frame lansgtroth (world standard) boxes

for about $30 or so. NOT $100+. Plus, we're gonna get a discount on 10 or so if ur keen

You can find standard dimensions, and make ur own boxes quite easily. Then, the black plastic frames are agreed to be amongst the best- rather than white or wooden. For purposes of later, more visible inspection.

I've got some pine branches where the recent swarming queens left their pheromone.

You could use these to lure a new swarm to a small 'nucleus' box, or u could buy a queen, or you could vacum up a wild nest,

or you could wait till its a little warmer and start luring the tragonia or whatevr native bees we have into little nesting boxes.

Edited by mud

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is a Apis group near you san rainbow, mudgeeraba i think from memory.

Or if your after Trig's theres a bloke at Elanora who often has a few for sale, i'm sure i have his no. here some where

 

Cheers Shortly! might get that number off you when I am ready...

The boss keeps forgetting to get the price & specs on pasta maker :ana: ... I will shoot you an PM when I have all the info.

Cool thread!

I have been thinking about having bees for years now, might have to check out a local group and take the plunge, its nice knowing I could have maybe a hive or two in suburbia until I move to a bigger property out bush.

Can you have natives and euro on the same property? (separate hives of course)

Cheers for the good info Mud!

What different natives do we have here in SE QLD? EDIT just read there are about 1500 species of aussie bees.

Is there a preferred native that may produce a little more honey than others?

cheers all!

Edited by San Rainbow

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

TC's (trigona carbonaria) are the most popular locals for this part of the world.

I have heard of ppl keep both TC's & Apis but bear in mind Apis are much more aggressive foragers & can give the TC's a bit of a hard time.

You do need to keep a much closer eye on Apis for small hive beetle, nosema, foul broods, chalk brood etc. So they are much more work but also a much higher return.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Cheers mate :wink:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you ever get a hive, requeening is amazing. Not the requeening itself, but that the queen comes in the post in a standard sized letter, in a little cage about the size of a matchbox, with her 5 or six attendants!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you ever get a hive, requeening is amazing. Not the requeening itself, but that the queen comes in the post in a standard sized letter, in a little cage about the size of a matchbox, with her 5 or six attendants!

 

LOL, I wish you could have witnessed the vision I got when I read this!

:lol:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

here is some links to a vid

the bee works beekeep collection

enjoy 1.1gb mp4

http://www.fileserve.com/file/T4Be32d/BeekeepingCollection.part1.rar

http://www.fileserve.com/file/Fdj4EJQ/BeekeepingCollection.part2.rar

http://www.fileserve.com/file/bu9wE9m/BeekeepingCollection.part3.rar

http://www.fileserve.com/file/SEjaru4/BeekeepingCollection.part4.rar

http://www.fileserve.com/file/ZRxTzuA/BeekeepingCollection.part5.rar

http://www.fileserve.com/file/2pycet8/BeekeepingCollection.part6.rar

subjects it covers

- Introduction

- Equipment

- Hive Setup

- Bee Castes

- Timing

- Drone Laying

- Lighting Smoker

- Frame Manipulation

- Smoking

- Double Boxing

- Cover Clothes

- Signs of Spring

- Spring Stimulation

- Spring Management

- Modification Kit

- Nuc Making

- Queen Introduction

- Queen Marking

- Drone Laying

- Swarm Prevention

- Frame Manipulation

- Uniting Hives

- Supering

- Clearer Boards

- Honey Removal

- Queens

- Varroa Testing

- Extracting

- Honey Marketing

- Finding Queens

- Apistan

- Drying Supers

- Mouse Guards

- Varroa

- Wrapping

Edited by spudamore
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Cheers! :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So Native bees.. the'yre claimed to be endangered and need help.. and big underrated resource..

have others researched native bee keeping?

It would cost you over $300 for a 20cm hive with bees :S

These bees can be multiplied by a factor of 2 nearly each year,

(meaning from what I understand, the hives just copy and split themselves)

so that anyone who has native bees in a decent place, could probably have shitloads of them.

So is $300 a conservation price?

Even the c.s.i.r.o 'booklets' total $70-80 or something, for enough information to get going.

No bees equal no planet, more or less. So why the F are these dudes with 60-100+ hive not sharing the love?

Shouldn't all this be 'free'?

Isn't there as much honour amongst beekeepers, as mushroom growers? Thats one of my fave things bout herbs and shrooms.Ppl usually know where the loves at, and they share freely.

This is just pissing me off a bit. what do u guys think?

Edited by mud
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×