# Want-a-bee from Ky.....



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

Hello folks, just want to say hi from this new guy from Ky. I currently do NOT have a beehive but will be purchasing one this week or so after much thought and studying up on beekeeping.


----------



## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

You will hear this from more then one person and you will read this in almost every beekeeping book you read. I highly recommend you start with at least 2hives. If you can only start with one, great! Everyone has to start somewhere but two will be more beneficial in the long run.


----------



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

I am just learning but why 2 hives to begin with?


----------



## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

Well you can compare how they are preforming by having 2. Being a new beekeeper you are not going to have anything to compare with if you only have 1. If you have a weak hive you can transfer frames of brood from the stong one to help the weak one get back on it's feet. If you have one hive go queenless and it has no 4 day old or younger larvae to make a new queen you can transfer a frame with some eggs on it into the queenless colony so they can make a new queen. Often times queens are hard to come by when you need one real bad. Queen producers are often behind because of supply and demand. But like I said if you can only start with 1 by all means get 1. 

-Good luck and Welcome to the Forum


----------



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

I am looking at a starter kit on Ebay right now that included everything including bees for around $325 here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Beekeeping-Star...737?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb33ebc61


It only comes with one hive body to get started but would be building more asap, by the way how long would it be before I would need for bodies and a couple supers? Thoughts??


----------



## indypartridge (Nov 18, 2004)

Hello and Welcome!

First, I'd pass on the ebay kit. You're within reasonable driving distance of both the Dadant store in Frankfort (http://www.dadant.com/branch/Frankfort.html) and Kelley's in Clarkson (http://www.kelleybees.com). Take a drive and buy what you want/need. You'll get more for your money. (Yes, you'll need more than the one box!). 

Second, have you connected with any bee clubs? Kentucky has some great clubs, and many are offering beginner's classes. Clubs are good places to find mentors and get connected with nearby beekeepers:
http://www.ksbabeekeeping.org/default.htm

Third, I believe Michael Bush has one of the best websites for bee info. Start with his page on beginning beekeeping, then read everything else...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm

Best of luck!


----------



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

indypartridge said:


> Hello and Welcome!
> (http://www.dadant.com/branch/Frankfort.html) and Kelley's in Clarkson (http://www.kelleybees.com). Take a drive and buy what you want/need. You'll get more for your money. (Yes, you'll need more than the one box!)..


Both of these places are only open when I have to work and it is EXTREMELY hard for me to get off work. I do appreciate the info and will check out clubs and classes in my area. Thanks..


----------



## slickbrightspear (Jan 9, 2009)

hello
welcome to the forum. dadant will ship to you from frankfort and would probably be cheaper than that starter kit. kelley is open till noon on saturdays usually from the first of april till mid to late may.


----------



## standman (Mar 14, 2008)

Welcome. And I second the info on getting two hives and ordering from Kelley's. Even with shipping, I think you will come out better.


----------



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

OK, several of you have said to start with 2 hives, I will buy kits and put them together myself to save some cash-o-la.. I will check out the places that you fine folks mentioned as well. Thanks for the info! And, keep it coming.

Question #1: Screened or regular bottom board and why please? (I'll start from the bottom and work my way up, so to speak)


----------



## wvbeeguy (Feb 20, 2011)

screened bottom boards, biggest reason is as bees manuver around, groom themselves etc, varro mites drop off (thats a good thing) and with solid bottom they can reattach to other bees coming and going, with screened bottom they drop thru to ground and become ant food (another good thing). The other reason is that it aids in ventilation. I also second the need for at least 2 hives, your local bee club will be a good source, lot of times ours has folks downsizing, etc , one member will give enough equipment to a beginner to start one. Mark


----------



## standman (Mar 14, 2008)

I use mostly screened bottom boards as part of my IPM, though I do have a few on solid bb for comparison. I leave my sbb open all winter for ventilation, but I do close them when I hive a swarm. (They seem to like it better in the dark.)

One thing I meant to mention to you: check with your local beekeeping club. Ours takes advantage of some grant money to give woodenware to beginning beekeepers. It is possible you could get more than just valuable advice.


----------



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

OK folks, I just placed an order for 2 sets of bees (set to arrive later March) and now I need the equipment. I was thinking maybe for each hive I would do 2 brood bodies each and a deep or medium honey chamber to start with. I have been suggested Kellys in Clarkson and Durants in Frankfort, anymore suggestions as I need to keep this financially under control. Both of these places are instate but I would still have to have the hives shipped as they are closed when I get off work. Any and all help is much appreciated. And remember I am a newbie. 
Question #2: Frames, wax or plastic or ????

OR

Buy this: http://www.kelleybees.com/CMS/CMSPage.aspx?redirect=n-3-99a26c06-9587-4bcb-892a-e2931c19350a and buy another top cover and bottom and split this combo into two small hives and add as needed later. Comments?


----------



## Mtn. Bee (Nov 10, 2009)

Welcome!:thumbsup:


----------



## timgoodin (Mar 10, 2007)

Welcome to Beesource and the grand world of beekeeping. My recommendation would be to join a local club, attend all the beekeeping classes/schools you can work in your schedule...(several coming up in a couple weeks). The starter kit you linked to earlier is what I started with in 2007. It had the essentials, hive, smoker, veil, gloves. I also bought a white nylon coverall suite. I've since stopped using the gloves and most of the time don't use the coveralls unless they are cranky and I'm working multiple large hives that don't really care for me to be around. I did as you mentioned, I buy empty bodies from time to time. Buy or make lids (depending on my time available) and make all my screened bottom boards. 

Don't count on splitting or harvesting honey your first year out, just plan to get the hive(s) started good, pick up some swarms from neighbors. Get some comb drawn and try to get built up to make it through next year's winter. Don't dispare if they die on you the first year even if you do all that is humanly possible.

I have stuck with wax foundation, no experience with plastic. One of the schools I went to an instructor told us she could not get her bees to draw on the plastic although a lot of people swear by it. I sometimes can't get them to draw wax, it all depends on the flow and drought a couple of years doesn't help. 

Berea is a beautiful town, we use to live there when I was working up in McKee. It should be a great area to keep bees. Good luck.

Tim


----------



## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

Build your equipment just like i did. Here is a build it yourself link right here on beesource.com! Nothing better then building your own equipment and then you can stretch that ole mighty dollar! And use Plastic Foundation Coated!

http://www.beesource.com/files/10frlang.pdf


----------



## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

Welcome to Beesource, as you can see you will get a lot of different answers to any question or comment.


----------



## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

Pyro,
I live about 20 min from Berea, about 1 mile out of Lancaster toward Berea. I will have nucs for sale and can fix you up with a botttom/top and hive body. Since I went to pallets I have many bottom boards and tops extra. Nucs are 100 each...I can sell you a complete hive (bottom/top/hive body with 5 frames foundation and 5 frames brood/honey/pollen with newly mated and laying queen at least one month old with sealed brood) . for 140.oo. Nucs are made up in FLorida and can be picked up at my place in Lancaster. Bottom/top and hive body are used but sound and disease free. Rick 859-304-3103


----------



## Pyrotechnician (Feb 21, 2011)

suttonbeeman said:


> Pyro,
> I Nucs are 100 each...I can sell you a complete hive (bottom/top/hive body with 5 frames foundation and 5 frames brood/honey/pollen with newly mated and laying queen at least one month old with sealed brood) . for 140.oo. Nucs are made up in FLorida and can be picked up at my place in Lancaster. Bottom/top and hive body are used but sound and disease free. Rick 859-304-3103


Thanks for the offer Rick and I will keep this in mind, right now I have 2 hives and 2 sets of bees already ordered and that is probably all I can handle right now to start with but when I start building my own hives I will look you up if that is OK. Thanks again!


----------

