Selfsufficientish.com

I recently attended a beekeeping course, which I found most interesting.

I initially thought I could keep a single hive in my garden, there's one wee spot which would be ideal. However, i now know keeping a single hive is far from ideal, a starting point with two hives is the preferred option.

I am therefore in a bit of a dilemma ... wanting some bees, but have nowhere for a couple of hives.

I assumed, if I had this problem others might have too, so I have just set up a small website. the aim is to link up beekeepers looking for space, with landowners who have space, but need a beekeeper. With rooftop hives now becoming very popular, this is another option for anybody with a flat roof ... individuals, business owners or even churches.

The website link can be found on my profile page.

My wife says one hive isn't ideal but a lot of people do keep just the one. Having two allows you a bit of scope if you lose a queen and other reason but there is no hard and fast rule. You could keep a mating nuc (whatever one of those is) so you had a spare queen and eggs.

Crickleymal wrote:My wife says one hive isn't ideal but a lot of people do keep just the one. Having two allows you a bit of scope if you lose a queen and other reason but there is no hard and fast rule. You could keep a mating nuc (whatever one of those is) so you had a spare queen and eggs.

Thank you for the reply Malc.

Yes, your wife is 100% right .. that's why I have had to put my beekeeping on hold. Two would be a great, but I know I would like more. Bees are very helpful, in the way they want to expand, swarming is their natural way. As long as the beekeeper can control this urge to swarm, they can get more and more colonies (assuming they have the money to buy new hives)

Having a single hive and having to 'manage the swarming instinct' is probably harder than having the scope for expansion. (NB. I added the word probably there ... just to be safe)

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/ ... es-1.94467

Shocking news ... Vandals may have killed 200,000 bees