My eco solution to rat problems

[sophiemccoy]

Hi all,

 

This is going to sound silly but is it possible to set up a hive and then just leave the bees to it? I don't like honey and have no desire to collect it - all I want to do essentially is give bees somewhere to live (I have lots of bee-friendly plants in my garden and bees visit it often).

 

I have tried other websites but can't find a definitive answer. Surely, though, bees can exist without human intervention?

 

Cheers!

 

Sophie

[Toots]

there are many ways to keep bees but from my point of view i would suggest that during the spring and start of summer they require inspections for a number of reasons, eg swarming and disease control

 

if you are keeping them in the garden it is defiantly the responsible thing to control swarming at the least.

 

I don't know much about them but i have seen a lot of talk about top bar hives for people not too worried about honey production.

 

there are a lot of people here that will give you advice so hang in there and some one will come along soon.

 

oh and as for a decisive answer, you will find that there is a limited selection of questions in beekeeping that will get a single answer!

[chickenanne]

Honey bees have existed for millions of years without man's help. I don't reckon it's daft to question why there's now a feeling that they "need" beekeepers. BUT, IMO they sadly do.

 

The natural landscape (less flora, and a reduced variety) and varroa has changed that over most of the UK. You will have to have some strategy with regards to varroa (a type of mite which your bees WILL get, and which can kill an untreated colony within a year or two). Varroa is a relatively "new" pest of the type of honey bee we keep outside Asia, which made the leap from a different type of honey bee (which had some natural ability to fight it off) relatively recently (am sure someone who knows will correct me, but 30-odd years ago maybe?)

 

The problems for others would be:

a) Ailments, diseases and parasites: firstly, you have to be able to inspect for contagious, reportable diseases like American or European Foul Brood. Otherwise your bees could become a reservoir of disease to infect other colonies.

b) Swarms. They will freak your neighbours out, and may well decide to take up home in someones' chimney, cavity wall etc, which would likely be a nightmare for the householder to sort out.

 

However, the above only refers to honey bees. You could attract bumble bees, masonry bees, etc etc instead, which are all lovely creatures: many species of bee are in danger and those wee bee nest box thingies are inexpensive, attractive, and can attract these species. I would absolutely recommend anyone and everyone to try and attract other bees into their gardens, as they need the habitat, AND are lovely things to have around.

[v8landy]

I have to say the above posts sum up beekeeping today very well, and answers given why beekeepers are needed.

 

Remebering that most of the problems have been caused/spread/started by man (beekeepeers) and many people are working to reverse this.

 

Stopping imports of bees would be the first point of call

[eggmayo]

How about offering your garden to a beekeeper to keep a hive in, so they'd be doing the work, but you'd still be doing your bit for bees? I'm sure if you contact your local beekeeping organisation they'd have someone who'd be interested. You will be able to find your local association via www.britishbee.org.uk. There's also the adopt a hive scheme-details are on the same website.

[MedusA]

There have been excellent responses to your question already, Sophie, so I have nothing of note to add.

 

I think eggmayo's idea of offering your garden to another beekeeper is a great solution to your situation. You have the presence of the bees, but not the responsibility, or the honey if you don't want it. It's great that you want to help bees and very sensible of you to realise that beekeeping is not for you.

 

Be warned though, once you have bees in your garden you may change your mind and want to keep them yourself. It is very addictive.....a bit like keeping chickens.

 

Our BKA manager always asks new members this question "Do you want to be Beekeepers or just keepers of bees?"

[sophiemccoy]

Thank you very much for all your thoughts and advice; I've talked it over with my husband and decided that at the start of next year we will offer our garden to a local beekeeper without actually being involved ourselves (we're having a few problems with the new next door neighbours at the moment so don't want to antagonise them right now by having bees). Thank you as well for so eloquently explaining to me why human intervention is needed - I couldn't understand it before but it makes total sense now.

 

I just have one further question - somebody mentioned other types of bee (mason etc) - can they just be left to it? Are they also declining in numbers?

[Olly]

Most other bees are solitary bees - mason bees, miner bees etc. and they can be attracted to your garden by the 'beehouse' things sold in garden centres, personally I wouldn't bother - make your own from hollow garden canes, reeds etc. and they will use them quite happily! They can indeed be left to their own devices, as can bumblebees. All sorts of bee are in decline, as far as I know.

 

If you have a bird-box that you haven't cleaned out, there's a good chance you will get bumblebees nesting in it next year!

[chickenanne]

Totally agree with Olly re: solitary bees/"other" types of bee.

If you know somebody who keeps pet mice, then the smell of the bedding can be used to attract bumblees to nest there - naturally they are drawn to old mouse holes as nest sites.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Totally agree with Olly re: solitary bees/"other" types of bee.

If you know somebody who keeps pet mice, then the smell of the bedding can be used to attract bumblees to nest there - naturally they are drawn to old mouse holes as nest sites.

Well I didn't know that

I have a redundant old nest box but it has remained empty for the two years I've been in Cumbria. I might try some mouse poo then

[beesontoast]

Hi all,

 

This is going to sound silly but is it possible to set up a hive and then just leave the bees to it? I don't like honey and have no desire to collect it - all I want to do essentially is give bees somewhere to live (I have lots of bee-friendly plants in my garden and bees visit it often).

 

Not silly at all. But don't do this with a National or any other type of framed hive, or you will end up with a mess.

 

I would suggest you make a vertical log hive - essentially a home-made hollow tree - or possibly a Warré hive, which is pretty much the same thing, but can be dismantled.

 

Left to their own devices, bees can manage very well - after all, they did so for 50 million years or so before we started interfering with them!

[Chucky Mama]

Hi all,

 

This is going to sound silly but is it possible to set up a hive and then just leave the bees to it? I don't like honey and have no desire to collect it - all I want to do essentially is give bees somewhere to live (I have lots of bee-friendly plants in my garden and bees visit it often).

 

Not silly at all. But don't do this with a National or any other type of framed hive, or you will end up with a mess.

 

I would suggest you make a vertical log hive - essentially a home-made hollow tree - or possibly a Warré hive, which is pretty much the same thing, but can be dismantled.

 

Left to their own devices, bees can manage very well - after all, they did so for 50 million years or so before we started interfering with them!

 

Sounds very interesting. Could you point me in the right direction to find out more?

[beesontoast]

Look on the Natural Beekeeping Forum - www.naturalbeekeeping.org - loads of information there.