Newbie in Oklahoma...w/ questions of course :)

[hazmat]

Hi, I'm new to the beekeeping thing and I just ordered my first 2 garden hives from brushy mountain tonight.  I got all the equipment and hive stuff and I'll be setting it up in the next couple weeks.

Actually, I am located in San Diego, but my brother and dad will be setting it up for me there near Geary, OK.

My first question is...when do you okies figure is a good time to get your first year hives started?  As early as possible or do you usually wait until April-ish?  Like I said, I'll have the hives there in a couple weeks, but I won't be visiting until early April....is that too late to start a hive in Oklahoma?

Also, when is ya'lls normal nectar flow times during the year?

Thanks for the views, and I appreciate all the help I can get!

Dustin

[indypartridge]

Hey Dustin,

Welcome to beekeeping.  I'm not clear on your plans when you say you're in San Diego but will be "visiting" Oklahoma where your Dad & brother will have set up the hives. Kinda hard to keep bees that are a thousand miles away!

Being in Indiana, I can't answer your Oklahoma-specific questions, but you might consider making some direct contacts with some Okie beekeepers. Maybe your dad/brother could make some connections. There are a few beekeeping clubs that aren't too far from Geary:
http://www.okbees.org/LocalClubs.html

[Two Bees]

Welcome!

If there is something blooming and if you typically do not have freezing weather in OK during April, you should be in good shape to install your packages or nucs in April and have a good year.

Good luck!

[Kathyp]

if you have not done so, order your bees.  if you wait until april, you may find you have trouble getting any.

[NasalSponge]

April will be fine, depending on the weather you may have to feed some and I doubt you will be able to get bees before April anyway. The earlyest BWeaver has bees available is April 7th for Okla.

[hazmat]

Indy:  They will be doing most of the tending of the hives (ie- making sure animals aren't messing with them, tipping them over, etc.  We have cows and wild hogs out there, so we will be putting up a electric fence -- with a wide berth-- around the hives), and I will be installing the packages with them and probably doing the 1st inspections.

I talked to Laura at Beeweaver and it sounds like I will be ordering 2 packages from them tomorrow.  She says that due to their late spring, they will probably have to push their April 7th dates to April 14th anyway.  That should fall in line with turkey season too, so that would be great!

Does anyone have any experience with BeeWeaver's bees?  I would think that with over a century of experience, they must have it down pretty well...

Thanks for the welcomes all, I am really excited to install some bees!

[brer]

Welcome Hazmat.

I'm also a newbie and am also in Oklahoma. 

I am still connecting with other beeks around here.  I have a package of italians on order and am getting ready to start making swarm traps over this weekend if it is still too muddy out to do anything else.

Not sure about the nectar flows, but most of the beeks try to set up in April or so around here. 

[hazmat]

That's cool to hear, I was afraid that I was going to be late getting them started.

I know we have skunks in oklahoma (which bother the hives I hear) but I wonder if anyone has had problems with wild hogs getting into and otherwise messing with the bees?  Or even raccoons for that matter?

[weBEE Jammin]

I am a member of NEOBA that meets in Tulsa every month. We will be having our big Bee Buzz march 19-20 with speakers Dr. Jim Tew, Kim Flottum, Ed Levi, Dr Charles Abramson and others.  We usually set bees up after the 1st wk in April (hopefully after all the freezing?). I live in the country with all kinds of critters, and have not had any problems except for my neighbors escaped cow accidentally knocking over a hive. I keep mine mounted on cement blocks with shade cloth underneath to keep weeds away. We would be glad to have you with our NEOBA club, we have close to 300 members. Good luck with your ladies.

[steveouk]

Hi im in Bryan County, Most packages arrive in April, you do need to order now! or you can collect a wild swarm i picked up a few last year.

[hazmat]

Thanks for the info Jammin.  I don't know if I can get up to Tulsa however.  I might have to check out COBA.

I was considering ordering 2 packages from B weaver (and probably still will) but seeing as how we could easily have nectar flows going on earlier, nucs would probably be the best way to go...if I weren't too late to order them.  However, are nucs even available to be shipped?  Everything I've seen says you have to pick them up?

[applebwoi]

WeBee, can anyone attend the Tulsa meeting or only members of the NEOBA? I'm in Amarillo, TX and there is no club around here and I'd enjoy the meeting and hearing the speakers.

[weBEE Jammin]

Yes applebwoi, anyone can come learn and share. We have one of the largest if not the largest bee clubs in the US. Our monthly meetings are every 2nd Tues. of the mon. Our Big Bee Buzz happening March 19-20 with the speakers costs $25 and you also get food and drinks. Dadant will be there for bee supplies- from Paris, TX. We would love to have you join us. I miss eating at The Big Texan in Amarillo!!