3 ms·

I've started keeping my own chemical-free bees. My hope is to build a healthy apiary of local bees that casts swarms, which will help replenish the wild bee pop

by kyrofa 2y ago

I've started keeping my own chemical-free bees. My hope is to build a healthy apiary of local bees that casts swarms, which will help replenish the wild bee population around me.

mglz 2y ago
If you are new make sure to contact your local beekeeper club (if available) to learn about bee diseases. From parasites like varroa mites, to fungi, to viruses: They can get really sick and if you accidentally produce an unhealthy hive it can be bad for other hives nearby. Definitely go ahead, this is a great thing to do! Just positng this as a hint :)
- kyrofa 2y ago
  Ideally, colonies that are unable to keep mites etc. under control will simply die. I expect some losses before a strong colony emerges that I can split.
  - cryptonector 2y ago
    That's a good approach. But don't let your bees swarm. Split them instead. If you end up with too many hives, sell the excess hives.
colechristensen 2y ago
Honey bees aren't native to North America, "replenishing" isn't really the right idea, and if you do a bad job, especially "chemical free", you could be cultivating and spreading bee diseases. If you want to help native bees, plant lots of flowering plants with blooms that span the seasons.
RoyalHenOil 2y ago
Please, please, please don't let your bees swarm unless you are 100% certain you have the support of local conservationists and professional beekeepers. Where I live, feral honeybees are an extremely damaging invasive species, causing huge declines in both native pollinators (by taking their food) and native birds (by taking their nest sites). Feral honeybees also threaten domestic honeybees by spreading diseases. Up until recently, we were 100% free of verroa mites, but now they are spreading through feral populations and will cause major population losses of domestic bees.
deleted 2y ago
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3 ms·

I've started keeping my own chemical-free bees. My hope is to build a healthy apiary of local bees that casts swarms, which will help replenish the wild bee pop

by kyrofa 2y ago

I've started keeping my own chemical-free bees. My hope is to build a healthy apiary of local bees that casts swarms, which will help replenish the wild bee population around me.

mglz 2y ago
If you are new make sure to contact your local beekeeper club (if available) to learn about bee diseases. From parasites like varroa mites, to fungi, to viruses: They can get really sick and if you accidentally produce an unhealthy hive it can be bad for other hives nearby. Definitely go ahead, this is a great thing to do! Just positng this as a hint :)
- kyrofa 2y ago
  Ideally, colonies that are unable to keep mites etc. under control will simply die. I expect some losses before a strong colony emerges that I can split.
  - cryptonector 2y ago
    That's a good approach. But don't let your bees swarm. Split them instead. If you end up with too many hives, sell the excess hives.
colechristensen 2y ago
Honey bees aren't native to North America, "replenishing" isn't really the right idea, and if you do a bad job, especially "chemical free", you could be cultivating and spreading bee diseases. If you want to help native bees, plant lots of flowering plants with blooms that span the seasons.
RoyalHenOil 2y ago
Please, please, please don't let your bees swarm unless you are 100% certain you have the support of local conservationists and professional beekeepers. Where I live, feral honeybees are an extremely damaging invasive species, causing huge declines in both native pollinators (by taking their food) and native birds (by taking their nest sites). Feral honeybees also threaten domestic honeybees by spreading diseases. Up until recently, we were 100% free of verroa mites, but now they are spreading through feral populations and will cause major population losses of domestic bees.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]