What is the most economical/cost affective way to start up a 50-100 hive operation?
slow down.........that was my question last year, I got ten nucs from one
guy and two busting out collonies from another.
Then I bought equipment and more and more and more, I made 6 more collonies by the end of the year..... :lol: :shock:
I was concerned about chemicals as far as treatment for pests.........
I used formic acid to kill 5 queens and knock my bee population way back just in time for winter...........but I did kill some mites
(I followed the directions to a tee)
I woke up this spring two find I have 12 collonies left (they are the size of five frame nucs) in two deep supers.....can someone tell me if this is the normel size in the spring?
anyways, my advice is do it big if you can, ( the world needs more beekeepers) but bee ready for big loses too, cause we all make mistakes
The most economical way, I can see to do this, is to start small and build up through splits over about 3 years and start with maybe 5-10 hives.
Thats about the way I feel too......two collonies would be enough to touch it, 10 collonies would be enough to feel it....and see if that is what you really want to do.......
BTW my 24hr. mite count the other day was one or less on every tray....
I suppose thats the good side of formic acid ( But I may never use it again).............
Oh and one more thing, read, read, read, read as you absorb information a bigger picture will start to form in your mind and it will all make more sence
AND......