# Is there such a thing as bare-minimum hands-off beekeeping?



## Renorei (Nov 5, 2014)

I'm planting a bunch of fruit trees tomorrow, and in the spring I'll be having a vegetable garden. It seems like it would make sense for me to have bees to increase my yields. (Ordinarily I wouldn't expect to have fruit for years but two of my trees already had fruit on them at the nursery, so I'm guessing at least those two will make fruit next year.)

Can I just buy/build a simple hive, put some bees in it, and then not do anything else? I'm not concerned about the honey. I just want there to be lots of bees on my property. If the population grows will the extra ones just leave?


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## BohemianWaxwing (Sep 13, 2014)

YES! Checkout www.backyardhives.com. That's how I got started (built my own to their plans). It cost next to nothing for the first hive (I didn't use a bee suit or smoker until I had more than one hive). I helped a local experienced bee keeper capture some swarms from the "wild" of people's houses and he gave me one of them in exchange for the help. I hardly ever do anything with them but enjoy their activity in the yard and occasionally harvest a comb or three to crush and strain for a few quarts of honey. It's super simple, enjoyable and requires very little equipment or trouble.

You can spend as much time or as little as you like on them...


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

I've had people buy beehives from me with this intention. Theoretically it should work as the hive will send out swarms and those swarms would establish themselves hopefully somewhat locally. In reality my educated guess is that it will be a waste of money. 

You will either have to spend time actively managing them or put chemicals in the hives to keep them healthy. There are now large areas where there are no bees in the wild. There are just too many parasites and too many pesticides for them to do well without management. 

You might look into somehow attracting native bee species.


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## Buffy in Dallas (May 10, 2002)

BohemianWaxwing said:


> YES! Checkout www.backyardhives.com.


I couldn't get that link to work but found this one.
http://www.backyardhive.com/

With any hive there will be some work if you want it to live.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Check out this link and find the nearest club to you. It is free admittance and you can go to as many meetings as you want without joining. Ask some of the local beekeepers if they would like a free outyard. Many are looking for a good place to put hives for the summer, and sometimes all year.


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## Renorei (Nov 5, 2014)

Iddee said:


> Check out this link and find the nearest club to you. It is free admittance and you can go to as many meetings as you want without joining. Ask some of the local beekeepers if they would like a free outyard. Many are looking for a good place to put hives for the summer, and sometimes all year.


You forgot to post your link. 

I hope I will find someone that wants an outyard.


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## nostawmama (Dec 29, 2011)

Where are you in NC? I am a bit north of Greensboro and CL had this ad that might interest you depending on location...
http://greensboro.craigslist.org/grd/4755028732.html


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

00Ps!

http://www.ncbeekeepers.org/county-chapters/state-map/


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## Ironbutt (Jan 5, 2013)

Get some mason bee nesting reeds and place near your trees & garden. Mason orchard bee's are the easiest to take care of, completely hands off. No dieseases or pest. Mason bee's are native to USA.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

I have mine in a top bar hive and I don't do a whole lot with them. I had to install a package this spring and I did feed til the flowers came in, but that's all. The hive I had before that, I had for 4 years. Then we had 2 really bad years in a row (drought, no flowers at all) and I lost them just a couple weeks before honey flow started. My fault I should have fed them since I knew how bad those 2 years were. I open mine up every spring after the honey flow starts and pull any left over honey. That's it.


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

I don't know enough about beekeeping yet to say but why would you not want to check them out once in a while? They are so interesting, This past year (my first) I've had to make myself stay out of the hives except when scheduled tasks were due.


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## Renorei (Nov 5, 2014)

Ironbutt said:


> Get some mason bee nesting reeds and place near your trees & garden. Mason orchard bee's are the easiest to take care of, completely hands off. No dieseases or pest. Mason bee's are native to USA.


I did not even think about other bees besides honey bees. I might end up doing this.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Buffy in Dallas said:


> http://www.backyardhive.com/


sigh...

I would_ love _to do something like this, but I moved to an area that is full of bears. ptooey.



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