Brad the bee keeper: Learning the basics

A visit to SEMBA - Michigan bee keeping group

from JoeUser Forums

Tonight my son and I attended the SEMBA bee keeping user group.  We had a good time and met a lot of interesting and very friendly people.

I was really impressed and energized by just how helpful and kind the folks at the meeting were to us.  In a single meeting, we got more help and more tips on how to get things going than I'd managed to pick up on the web in the past couple of weeks.

The next step is to take some bee keeping classes while the equipment comes in and to start looking at getting some Nucs to start raising some hives.

Alex and I went out to our property over the weekend to scout for a good place for our apriary.  I definitely want to be certain we know what we're doing before we start raising the bees since we don't want to do any harm (especially since there's been a real free fall in the bee population in the past couple of years).

On our new property, we found a clearing in the woods that I think will work well. I think there's enough flowering plants in the area for at least a couple of hives which should be enough to get us started.

Since honey production isn't really our main focus (we just want to take care of bees mainly at first) it's not too important if we are able to get honey at the end of the day (though it would be nice). Not to mention, taking care of the honey is where a lot of the grunt work comes in so we'll have to see what the level of patience we have for that part is.

15,324 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
(especially since there's been a real free fall in the bee population in the past couple of years).


from enviromental factors there or from the elimination of the USDA's honey subsidy programs?
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
No the issue is that the bees are actually just leaving. No one knows why.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Well...if your bees think about leaving you can always put a wire mesh at the entrance of the hive big enough for workers, yet too small for a queen. That's how they kept killer bees in South America for study without them escaping until some idiot pried off the little grates and they started swarming.

I really know too much about bees and bee history than the average person needs to...actually that goes for most animals. It's a hobby, as well as my major in college....so it works out.

~Zoo
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Since honey production isn't really our main focus (we just want to take care of bees mainly at first) it's not too important if we are able to get honey at the end of the day (though it would be nice)


I knew it, I knew this wasn't about honey. This is about Galactic Civilizations in your back yard. You're going to create an army of little insect workers and manage their morale and food supply until they can colonize the rest of the planet. Then you're going to load all the bees on a transport and look for somebody to invade.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

SOunds great that you are teaming with your oldest son!  It will be an adventure for him that he will long remember.

And as I have read, HOney keeps forever, so you can pick that up at any time once things settle down.

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
I hope to train the bees to strike at my various enemies (real and imagined).
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

I hope to train the bees to strike at my various enemies (real and imagined).

Let me guess, the Queen's name will be Ben?

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
HOney keeps forever, so you can pick that up at any time once things settle down.


As I recall, honey was found in Egyptian tombs and still quite edible. Those bees sure know how to regurgitate a product with a good shelf life.

~Zoo
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Until Slurm cola becomes a reality, we'll have to make due with honey.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
I knew it, I knew this wasn't about honey. This is about Galactic Civilizations in your back yard. You're going to create an army of little insect workers and manage their morale and food supply until they can colonize the rest of the planet. Then you're going to load all the bees on a transport and look for somebody to invade.




My mouth is watering for honey after reading this *sets off for the kitchen*
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
This is about Galactic Civilizations in your back yard


The Drengin actually have a hidden +25 bonus in Beekeeping. You have to look deep in the configuration files but it is there. Right next to +10 in Blogging.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
Here as an interesting article about bee losses: http://www.informationliberation.com/index.php?id=21912

Something worth taking a look at.