I'm back in!

WildBillTN · #1 03/01/09, 09:39 AM

After not having bees for almost 20 years, I am getting back into the pursuit by joining my local beekeeping club and making plans to buy a hive later this spring. I dragged out my old smoker and gear from the barn yesterday, and they don't look so good. My smoker was rusted and full of an old mouse nest. It literally fell apart in my hands! Guess I will need new gear too.
My father got me started with bees back in the 1970's when he got a couple of hives from a neighbor. Well, after catching some swarms and cutting a couple of bee trees we went from two hives to nine in a short time! Anyway, I learned from Dad and from his friends. All of those old-timers are gone now, including my father. I remember how they encouraged me as a young man to learn all I can and keep the hives going. Not many young men were interested in beekeeping at that time, so the old guys willingly shared with this young'un.
Anyway, the last time I had a hive or two they got wiped out by disease and I became too discouraged to continue, so I did not replace them. Now, I am excited about returning to beekeeping, but am wary of the new diseases that I read about. I am planning to keep only one hive, and to manage it well. I am sure I'll be asking you folks lots of questions once I get my new hive and the nectar starts flowing. Are bee diseases and pests manageable nowadays? Do they have medicines and effective treatment for mites, fungus, etc.? I've still got a lot to learn.

Iddee · #2 03/01/09, 12:01 PM

Glad you want to get back in, but you are making a fatal mistake right off. One hive is almost a guaranteed failure. Get two on the get go, and then you have a chance of success. To be honest, your chances of success are 10 times greater with two, then with one.

We will be here when needed. Just ask.

WildBillTN · #3 03/01/09, 01:18 PM

Thanks, Iddee! Yeah, I guess that makes good sense.

copperkid3 · #4 03/01/09, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillTN

After not having bees for almost 20 years, I am getting back into the pursuit by joining my local beekeeping club and making plans to buy a hive later this spring. I dragged out my old smoker and gear from the barn yesterday, and they don't look so good. My smoker was rusted and full of an old mouse nest. It literally fell apart in my hands! Guess I will need new gear too.
My father got me started with bees back in the 1970's when he got a couple of hives from a neighbor. Well, after catching some swarms and cutting a couple of bee trees we went from two hives to nine in a short time! Anyway, I learned from Dad and from his friends. All of those old-timers are gone now, including my father. I remember how they encouraged me as a young man to learn all I can and keep the hives going. Not many young men were interested in beekeeping at that time, so the old guys willingly shared with this young'un.
Anyway, the last time I had a hive or two they got wiped out by disease and I became too discouraged to continue, so I did not replace them. Now, I am excited about returning to beekeeping, but am wary of the new diseases that I read about. I am planning to keep only one hive, and to manage it well. I am sure I'll be asking you folks lots of questions once I get my new hive and the nectar starts flowing. Are bee diseases and pests manageable nowadays? Do they have medicines and effective treatment for mites, fungus, etc.? I've still got a lot to learn.

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Sorry if this sounds like I'm raining on your parade WildBillTN, but Iddee only hit on a portion of your concerns, without addressing the rest. Not wanting to knock his answer either, as we (those in beekeeping) need fresh, young blood.......HECK, we need a transfusion of ANYONE who is crazy enough to get into it, but you need to know what you're getting back into in the here and now and what your overall chances are at success should you decide to go for it.
This isn't your fathers' day and age of beekeeping......back then,the worst we had to worry about was AFB (American Foulbrood) ......sure there were other diseases of a lesser sort, but by and large, you had a pretty good chance at not only getting your bees thru the winter, but also getting a harvest of honey for your efforts as well.

Not so much today......in addition to AFB, we have Nosema, hive beetles, mites of several varieties and a multitude of viruses and CCD (coloney collapse disorder), which is looking more and like it is associated with pesticide poisoning that works in junction with some of those previously mentioned viruses. It used to be that beekeepers medicated their colonies to get them thru the "hump" and after awhile, it became a habit of some and overall the bees throughout the U.S. have suffered the affects of resistance being built up in the bugs that we were trying to control. In addition, with the GMO's being planted across the country, it appears that their pollen contribution to the general health decline in the honeybee cannot be ignored either......it has devastating effects to brood rearing and the overall decline of the coloney. What was suppose to have been bred to be pest specific has apparently crossed over the line and gone into harming other beneficial insects as well. Genetic engineering run amuck......we've unleashed the genie from the bottle and there appears to be no way of getting him back in.
However, with the new pesticides on the market, it now appears that a little bit goes a long ways and may be doing more to killing off those we hold and near and dear.....namely the honeybee then what it was originally intended for .......check out neonicotinoids and be scared......be VERY SCARED!!!

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PI117

http://video.google.com/videosearch?...um=4&ct=title#

http://www.organicconsumers.org/arti...ticle_4557.cfm

Bottom line is that while we welcome you in your effort at re-joining the ranks of the beekeeper.......be very aware of what you are getting into and that it may very well be a lost cause in the long run. Very few of us can continue to put thousands of dollars of our hard-earned money into bees and equipment only to have them die off or be contaminated such that any bees that are introduced into them will die off as well. Something will have to change to ensure that the honeybee has a place in todays' world, and unfortunately it may very well be too late.

WildBillTN · #5 03/01/09, 04:28 PM

Dang! I knew that things have changed since I dabbled with beekeeping, but never realized how bad things have gone. Well, I guess I will need to work closely with my fellow beekeepers who are experienced with successful hives and watch out for any problems.

That is a dismal forecast. I sure hope things improve.

Iddee · #6 03/01/09, 04:47 PM

Although I can't say he is wrong in anything he is saying, I will say he makes it sound worse than I see it. I have one hive that is 7 years old, another 4 years old, from the same stock. Neither have been treated in any way, and I can trace their stock back to the 1970's. There are some bees who are adapting to the new problems, same as the bad bugs are adapting to the chemicals. I encourage any new beek to go for it, but prepare yourself for a lot of research, time, and a good bit of money. It is still doable, and I think it will improve with time, if our fantastic gov. will cease importing more problems faster than we can solve them.

Farmsteader · #7 03/02/09, 01:42 AM

CHECK out the Organic Beekeeper group on Yahoo, you can learn a lot without using Chemicals, like some in here, I am kinda in the same boat as you , Nubee ,but with no experiance and Had a Father who was a Beekeeper, Go for it, I am too, i keep my smoker in a closet so its in good shape, but my Dad's gloves don't fit! hahaha. oh well.

**alleyyooper** · #8 03/02/09, 07:56 AM

I also see the honey bee adapting to the ever changing world. We do our own queen rearing from stock we got in removals where the bees had been in the same place for upwards of 5 years. We also have our own colonies from swarms that are nearing 8 years old. Yes we have our set backs, crappy winters with wildly fluxing temps from a week in the 80F range to one of minus 5 below then back again. the girls just get to active when the weather runs like that so they eat more and starve when the end of winter is near. Or in many cases the queen lays a good patteren of brood so the workers refuse to leave it when it turns cold and starve. Last year it was a new type of Nosema that came along and did a good bit of damage.
We are still holding our head high being proud to say we sell Pure American honey unlike what is found in the grocery store shelves.

I also say go with two colonies, the club is a great place to learn new ways and refresh the old ways.
It is also nice to mingle with people who do not call the bees GUYS, as a person asked me the other day. How are your guys doing.

Al