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  • New Apiaries - How many hives?

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #11010  by gwt_uk
 27 May 2021, 13:24
Hello all,

I have 2 new Apiary sites this year. I was intending on placing 2 new hives at each location. However the local association may only be able to provide me with 2 Nucs.

I am keen to utilise both sites to see which one works out best. Should I put one at each site or would it be more sensible to put them in pairs? I have said to the local association that I will take a swarm or two if one becomes available so that may solve the issue.
 #11011  by Patrick
 27 May 2021, 16:34
Unless the surrounding forage is really pants, either should support two easily. Remember bees can hypothetically forage over ?? 16 square miles (don't quote me) of the hive. Establishing a presence is one thing but useful comparisons are more problematic with a single hive as there are a lot of other variables between single hives aside from just location.

I would think the bigger consideration is how far the two sites are from each other and you. Assuming weekly checks, its surprising how tedious even short drives are when you realise you have forgotten something or something unexpected is required and you have to back home and return again. I do try not to have remote single hives as almost inevitably they get neglected when time gets tight.

But try it and see how you get on.
 #11012  by gwt_uk
 27 May 2021, 17:43
Thanks. One of the sites is a 3 minute drive the other is a 10 minute drive so will see how I go. May also get a swarm as well!
 #11014  by NigelP
 28 May 2021, 08:38
Personally I'd stick them both in one site and expand later. You could consider putting a "bait" hive in the other apiary site and crossing your fingers. With this hot spell coming there is bound to be lots of swarms about in the next few weeks.
 #11016  by AdamD
 28 May 2021, 12:03
For convenience, I would have both colonies on one site.
 #11020  by NigelP
 28 May 2021, 18:47
Alfred wrote:
28 May 2021, 12:59
One site for primary apiary,the other as swarm quarantine/borstal.
Why a quarantine site?
I've been around the block with this and IMHO this idea needs binning. Quarantine apiaries makes beekeeper sense as we tend to put a disproportionate amount of effort in to teaching about diseases...They are quite rare.... but if you have a badly diseased hive/colony they tend to be so weak they rarely swarm.
It's not bad practice to isolate but I've never seen the practical requirement to do so. Most of EFB (and other diseases) are diagnosed by the regional inspectors not the beekeepers'. So despite a lot of teaching of symptoms we seem pretty bad at picking diseases out.
What's wrong with this one? And note the wiring is horizontal not "V" shaped

Image
 #11021  by Alfred
 28 May 2021, 20:43
But surely any swarm can bring mites ?
After putting in lots of effort to minimise loading on your own bees you don't knowingly need passengers brought in with the newcomers.
And I absolutely respect your views on swarms Nigel but many beginners cannot afford to buy in subsequent stock after their first nuc (especially if they've just killed it)
 #11022  by JoJo36
 29 May 2021, 06:11
You're right about spotting diseases Nigel I wouldn't have a clue!
Firstly I looked and thought what a lovely frame of brood, then maybe thought failing queen then finally thought maybe AFB??!!
It would probably take me a while to notice if mine had crumpled wings:)!!!!!!
 #11023  by Caroline
 29 May 2021, 08:34
Not always easy to identify a problem from a photograph, but I would say not AFB as sealed brood capping looks healthy. EFB can cause pepperpot brood pattern as the workers usually remove the infected larva prior to the cell being sealed. The scale is left behind, but unable to tell from the photo if this is the case. I would need the frame in my hands to take a look at the bottom of the vacant cells.

However, pepperpot appearance can be caused by other things, including sacbrood and chalkbrood. Chalkbrood can be mistaken for EFB and Sacbrood can be mistaken for AFB on first appearance. Failing queens can also produce an uneven brood patter, as can laying workers (but all sealed brood on the photo is worker, so not caused by a laying worker in this instance).

Then again it could be something else I haven't thought of........

Then again