# new on bee keeping



## greenboy (Sep 5, 2005)

Suggestiong is how to start keeping bee? in cold weather


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

greenboy said:


> Suggestiong is how to start keeping bee? in cold weather


We have Bee Keeping for Dummies. If you don't get some tips from Folks here, or the WWW, PM me and I'll buzz into the book and see what it says.

Bees, Chickens and goat are things I HUGELY want, but just haven't been able to make the plunge.


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## Tnff319 (May 28, 2012)

I would say it would be near impossible to start bee keeping this year, unless you plan on keeping them inside. I would doubt you could find bees for sale now anyway. Spend the winter researching, buying, and building your bee equipment.


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

We are new this yr and everything we read says to wrap them in tar paper? I need some opinions on that.


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

I make a 4 inch by 6 inch by 1 1/2 inch bee candy bar , put that on top of the frames ,, make a spacer 1 1/2 high , useing a furring strip ,, get 6 paint sticks from home depot ,, use the paint sticks to stretch bur lap on the spacer ,, stapel the sticks on the inside of the spacer so bur lap is tight ,, put spacer on ,over the candy ,bur lap up , then put a deep on ,now fill the deep with the ceder chips like they sell for mouse ,or gerbil cages ,,, now pu the innercover on and the outer cover ,,, I did the tar paper they died ,, did the just as is they died did this they made spring and I made a split ,, the years I did this they did good ... for got to say put a mouse gard in


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

greenboy said:


> Suggestiong is how to start keeping bee? in cold weather


My suggestion is to join a local club. Find a beginning beekeeping class. Speed the winter learning about beekeeping, getting connected to nearby beekeepers, and make plans get bees in the spring.

PSBA: Pennsylvania Beekeeping Associations and Inspectors


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I feel a wind break is all important. Also don't set up so the wind goes over or around the break and land right on the hives.



















Mouse guards, I make mine out of hardwear cloth bent into an L then held in place with a pair of screws and a tiny metal clip. They stay in year around.
here is one with an entrance reducer. the plastic doesn't last and are hard to get with out buying the nails too.










Here is sone I made with finish nails as part of the reducer.



















I place some foam insulation in the outercover with the foil side down. Remove it in the early early spring or ants will nest in and under it.
snow is an insulation, leave it but clear the entrance for ventilation.










Make sure ventilation isn't hindered, moisture in the hive is a killer. Part of why Toms cedar chips work is they asorb moisture as well as insulate.

I don't wrap the hives any longer, doesn't seem to make a difference for us and is just more stuff to store in the summer. If we only had a couple hives I'd make a box out of closed cell foam and set it around the outside of the hive leaving an air 2" space.

Also as Tom suggested, install a candy board in the fall when you button them up. Pouring the mix on chese cloth and allowing to set up works well to keep chunks from falling and messing up the cluster.
one of the best uses for plastic foundation I've ever seen is pouring the candy on it and setting it above the intercover so the girls can get to it when it is warm.

 Al


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## johng (Feb 14, 2009)

Start reading everything you can find between now and next spring. Get your equipment ready this winter. Find a local club and start going to meetings, order your bees early most places start taking orders in January. You may find a local person selling nucs through the local club. You could also get on the local swarm list next spring. Most swarms are not any more difficult to box than package bees. Try to start with at least two hives if you can afford to. You could also use your new equipment as swarm traps until your bees arrive. 

Meeting some local people who will let you tag along with them for a few inspections will really help. Some clubs have mentoring sessions once a month so did I mention finding a local club. LOL


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

If you have trouble finding a local Bee Keepers Association, find a small store that sells raw honey and " Follow the HONEY"!


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