Part 0800.0005

[Chucky Mama]

Sorry if this seems dim or naive but I just wanted to pick your brains about the top bar. I would love to have one more to support the bees that for any honey. Do I need a large quiet area in the garden for one. Our garden is not particularly small but it is well used by children dog and chickens. How big a space would need to be set aside? Are they likely to swarm and cause a problem to neighbours?

[Guest]

You say 'you would like to have one more' - how many do you have already?

 

OK. 'Not particularly small' is very subjective and topography can play a large part in site selection.

 

Yes, they are likely to swarm, if simply ignored. They can also be a disease risk to other colonies in the surrounding area. Neighbours can be a problem.

 

For your particular case, I would have no idea. Risk assessment is nigh on impossible without detailed information.

 

Regards, RAB

[Old Speckled Hen]

A topbar needs as much planning as a removable frame hive.

Fair enough the attitude is less hands on but management is still important.

I would hesitate putting a hive in any garden unless it was 100feet long and you could tuck it away at the end.

Bees and normal family garden activity DO NOT mix.

Bumblebees are much better pollinators than honeybees so perhaps you might want to encourage them by planting bee friendly plants, allowing corners of your garden to remain wild and posting some bumble bee boxes around the place.

[Chucky Mama]

Thanks for the advise, I think that the way to go is to do more homework and see if in time I am in a position to site one on local land owned by a friendly farmer.

[v8landy]

A topbar needs as much planning as a removable frame hive.

Fair enough the attitude is less hands on but management is still important.

 

Any hive can be used (or not used as in this case) in the way of a TBH, likewise you could have a TBH and give every "chemical" under the sun to the bees.

 

Hives are just for the convince of the keeper

[chickenanne]

Bumblebees are much better pollinators than honeybees so perhaps you might want to encourage them by planting bee friendly plants, allowing corners of your garden to remain wild and posting some bumble bee boxes around the place.

 

I completely agree with you re: bumblebees; encouraging them is feasible in the smallest of gardens and they are brilliant creatures. IMO everyone with any outdoor space should consider "helping" bumblies.

 

Personally I feel that what's more important than the beeks garden size is the size of neighbours gardens! If the garden backs onto railway siding /motorway embankment /etc then it's very different proposition than if it backs onto smaller, well used neighbours gardens.