Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => GREETINGS/TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF => Topic started by: binglis on November 08, 2006, 06:05:36 am

Title: Hello from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Post by: binglis on November 08, 2006, 06:05:36 am

I am new to beekeeping and have one hive I started in May of this year (2006). It went very well, as I was able to harvest honey, of exceptional grade, as per a friend who had family in the business for years (beginners luck, I told him...). I am on a 42 acre farm that is not blessed with fruit trees (yet...), nor an overabundance of flowers. I am not sure where the bees go to "do their thing".
Anyways, I enjoy the forum, and am looking to add another hive in the spring (maybe two). Is there any seperation distance between hives, that is recommended? I have my one hive on a 4' x 4' hardwood skid, and there is room for another on that skid (it would be very close to the existing hive (less than a foot away)). Is that too close, and are there problems with a setup like that...
Thanking you in Advance,
Bob

Title: Re: Hello from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Post by: buzzbee on November 08, 2006, 07:26:01 am

Hi and welcome to the forum Bingis. I am sure you will have no trouble with a setup like that. Many beeyards have the  hives set up that way. If you get one colony with a low bee count you can switch location with each other and help the weaker colony as some of the bees may migrate to the box in the old location.Be sure to stop by often and if you get the chance ckeck out the voice chat forum about the ventrilo chat program and drop in and say hello!

Title: Re: Hello from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Post by: beemaster on November 08, 2006, 10:24:24 am

Welcome Aboard and surely with proper planting techniques for your 42 acres and the help of honeybees, your property should be fruitful and multiply in just a few seasons. As Buzzbee said, pallet stacking is very acceptable, most migratory pollination keepers stack them this way for both easy moving and for marking and tracking data purposes.

Enjoy the forum and best wishes into the 2007 Spring season, sounds you like are making good and sound decisions.

Title: Re: Hello from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Post by: Brian D. Bray on November 08, 2006, 01:45:40 pm

Welcome.  objects, color, numbers, and letters off sufficient size are all things that helpo mark an individual hive and seperate it from the others when hives are placed in close proximity.  Hive can be set abutting one another and if different colored landing boards (for instance--and my primary method) are used the bees can clue on that to return to the proper hive.

Title: Re: Hello from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Post by: Michael Bush on November 08, 2006, 08:51:38 pm

>Is there any seperation distance between hives, that is recommended?

Mine are all touching each other.

Title: Re: Hello from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada
Post by: qa33010 on November 09, 2006, 12:58:16 am

    Mine share cinder blocks.  Welcome and glad to hear from ya!

David