# gonna bee new to beekeeping



## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i have thought about this for years but havent looked into too much cuz my oldest son is allergic to bees--but he has moved out of state, so i can move on it. i have some questions though-------i went to an intro to beekeeping meeting and am going to go to a bee club meeting on tues night. they said they are going to order their bees on tues. i dont know if i can get set up in time for them though. i am assuming they will send the bees when it gets alot warmer (i am in central mn). but i need to get my hives ordered and set up. i have been looking in a bee magazine and i am thinking of getting unassembled ones but could you guys advise me on what all i would need for a hive? i am thinking two deep supers but am a little confused about the honey supers and shallows. i am thinking of assembled telescoping cover, ass inner cover ass bottom board (solid) dont know the reasoning behind the screened bottom. i am thinking of putting it up on a few bricks so i am assuming i dont need a hive stand? i am also planning on getting queen excluder but do i need a fume pad and a top feeder? or a pollen trap? sorry for all the questions--i ordered beekeeping for dummies but it isnt here yet. how late in the year can bees be ordered to get some honey the first year? i am assuming i can order just for myself? i wanna make sure i have enough of a set up to properly house the bees. any help would be appreciated. sorry this is so long


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

You have a very good bee keeping supply house right there in Minnesota, exellant people to work with. shipping was free for any thing over 100.00 a couple weeks ago when I placed an order. Stay away from the starter kits, stuff in them you don't need.

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/index.asp


Usally only takes about 3 days for me to recieve a order from them plenty of time to get them assembled (Had to laugh at your shortened thing getting by the lauange sensor.)

For Minesota don't even plan on a honey crop the first year. You need 2 deeps per colony, I recommend two colonies.

I recommend screen bottom boards because it allows the mites the bees groom off to drop and not be able to climb back on. You can build them from the stick post above.
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/ProductDetail.asp?idproduct=1623&idCategory=14
Set the bottom board on a hive stand on at least on concrete blocks.

4 deeps. the loose knots can be painted over to keep them in place and if they are loose enough to push out just glue them in place. buy OOPS paint of stain FOR FENCES AND DECKS
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/ProductDetail.asp?idproduct=1609&idCategory= 
$10.95ea. if you buy 5.

Inter cover and outer cover plus a hive top feeder. 

I don't use queen excluders saves a bit of money.

Honey supers you can wait on for a while. If ya had a real good year you might get the comb drawn out the first year here in the north. 
Look Up Tom J, on the3 member list he is in Minnesota.

No need for a fume pad, pollen traps or proplis traps till you get some experince.

Our stands are 18 inches high, 8 feet long that the bottom boards set on. don't have to dig out as much snow to clear the entrance that way.









Early stand set ups.









 Al


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

thanks Al--very helpful. what are the single boxes? i was planning on two to three hives. does it matter what paint you use on the boxes?


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Al did an great job answering your questions, but I'll add a few thoughts...




mare said:


> ... am going to go to a bee club meeting on tues night.


Excellent! Getting involved with a club is a good way to find mentors and get connected to nearby beekeepers. Since so much of beekeeping is "location-specific", the local beeks will be very helpful with respect to what beekeeping practices work best in your area.




> I ordered beekeeping for dummies but it isnt here yet.


You can also check the library for books & videos. There are many good websites as well; two that I often recommend:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

http://basicbeekeeping.blogspot.com/



> how late in the year can bees be ordered to get some honey the first year?


As Al said, you probably won't get honey the first year. Go ahead and order bees at the meeting Tuesday evening. I'll echo Al's recommendation of starting with two colonies, if you can.

Don't hesitate to ask questions - we're here to help.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

thanks alot Indy--i will check those sites ot when i get home from work today. i just hope you dont get sick of me asking questions---i tend to ask alot lol, but then if ya dont ask ya never know. i did check the libraries around here and beekeeping for dummies was out in them, must be alot of interest out there!!!!


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

as for paint ,, go to home depot or the like and get miss mix paint , the girls do not care what color or if there painted or not ,, only paint the outside not inside , some claim less drifting with different colored hives , 
welcome to the obsession


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I forgot to mention I recommend foundation of real bees wax and wood frames. 

The single boxes are start ups. When you get your package of bees or nuc you install them in a single deep. Feed them syrup so they can have it to draw out the comb. Once they get all the comb drawn out then you add the second deep and keep feeding till they just won't take any more.

If you don't buy the hive top feeders you can many times get free 1 gallon pickle jars from the local pizza joint who just throw them out for the land fill.

Put 1/16 inch holes in the lid fill with syrup set them on the hive right over the inter cover hole place a empty deep hive body around it then install the top cover.





































I my self do not use paint. I use stain for decks, fences, siding and other out door projects. I buy OOP stuff normally about $5.00 a gallon or $15.00 for 5 gallons. To me colors don't matter some times I even mix some colors if I have just a little left in several cans.

I also sort of use the colors in what is in the hive. Like the dark ones are the hives where I raise the drones to mate with the queens I raise.

While library for books & videos are great I feel every bee keeper starting out should have at least one book of their own so when the go in a hive to inspect they will have a book to possiably tell them right now what they are seeing.

There is also some good information in the sticky posts above.

 Al


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

thanks Tom J and Al and Indy great advice---now i am getting excited. have a question about the bottom board (? not sure on the terminolagy yet) somewhere on here i read (thought it was Al) that the screen bottom board is preferred cuz of mites, am wondering then if it needs to be changed out before winter. also i looked on the site for the hive boxes and am wondering if everything is pretty standard within the industry--is it possible to mix and match from different companies? and am trying not to sound real dumb but Al where do you put the hole on the lid of the jar that it doesnt drip out and make a mess? and thanks for the great pics, most helpful.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

mare said:


> I have a question about the bottom board. Somewhere on here i read that the screen bottom board is preferred cuz of mites, am wondering then if it needs to be changed out before winter.


Many of the screened bottom boards have a slide-in piece in order to close off the bottom, for example:
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/ProductDetail.asp?idproduct=1623&idCategory=
Whether you close it for the winter, or not, is up to you. I'm in central Indiana and leave mine open year round. Others close them up. In MN, I'd probably close them for the winter.



> also i looked on the site for the hive boxes and am wondering if everything is pretty standard within the industry--is it possible to mix and match from different companies?


Yes, but there tend to be small differences that can be annoying. If you have a local supplier, buy your frames and boxes from them.



> and am trying not to sound real dumb but Al where do you put the hole on the lid of the jar that it doesnt drip out and make a mess?


Tiny holes. Just barely punch the tip of the nail thru the lid a few times. If it drips, your holes are too big.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

thanks Indy. i looked at the site for hives didnt see any bottom boards, need to look again. almost placed an order but my checkbook was out in the car, now i have to look at the site again. do you buy your frames all ready assembled or are they easy enough to put together ( i am not bad at putting stuff together as long as i dont have to make cuts)


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

*I do not recommend Mann Lake wood frames unless you have a nail gun or a drill. They are hard to just drive a nail into.* Since I do have a air nailer I buy them some times when my supply gets low because I find them able to stand up to my rubber bands when banding comb into a frame. 










But for easy to assemble frames at a good price I go to W.T. Kelleys.
http://www.kelleybees.com/CMS/CMSPage.aspx?organizationId=3&pageName=default
Follow the instructions that come with them and any body able to use a hammer can build them. Kelleys also supplys the nails, you just need the glue.

Look at the sticky post above building your own screen bottom boards. In that post you will see I use flashing to close up the bottom during the cool & cold months.

Most of the wooden wear stuff is standardized enough it is not a problem to use say 10 frame hive bodies from Mann Lake and mix in some W.T. Kelley ones and some from Brushy Mountian.

The frames work well from different companys too. Only trouble I have is what stuff is made out of. I highly dislike inter covers made with mosinite, same for the outer covers just real wood for me thank you very much.

The jars as feeders.
Remove the lid from the jar and look at the inside part of it. On the outer edge you will see a seal, staying about an inch inside that seal drill a line of 1/16th inch holes to the center or a bit beyound, I place the holes about a 1/8 inch apart. Once you have one row done move over about a half inch and drill another(second) line of holes. These now should fit the inter cover hole and allow many bees to feed at once, also allow you to off set the jar a bit so the bees can come and go thru the intercover hole as there are always some on the inter cover when you are setting the jars on.
The principal is a vacum is created in the jar so it will not drip or much at all (I test mine with a gallon of water and sitting them on some thing upside down for several hours.) as the bees feed a bit of air does go up in the jar to equalize the pressure.

When putting the jars on I have a pail handy because at first syrup wants to rush out till the vacum is established. By turning them lid side down over the pail you save that syrup and don't have spills that can cause problems wth robbing other pest being drawn like ants.

Sorry I have never taken a picture of the holes in the lids.

Faceing the hives east are fine, ours all face south. Also most of our hives are in full sun till late in the day also.

 Al


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