Skills and methods of beekeeping

[Rhea15]

Hi all,

I am currently writing up my 4th year honours project on honey production in East of Scotland and was after a little help! I have a very limited word count considering i have to include my research method, discussion etc and all the literature there is surrounding the honey bee and beekeeping. I am particularly finding it difficult to condense skills and methods of beekeeping as there is so much to write about. Can anyone suggest any literature which provides a relatively short overview or the most important aspects I should go with.

Thanks
Rhea

[gavin]

Hi Rhea

The trouble with most of the documents we see is that they do need to be quite long, as beekeeping isn't entirely straight-forward!

What about Ian Craig's 'My Beekeeping Year' here: http://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/downloads/html/downloadsindex.html

all the best

Gavin

[Rhea15]

Gavin

Thank you, yeah I have noticed that it is not straight-forward hence why I am finding this area a little difficult to write up, will get there eventually. Am considering a table either of seasons or months, the document you provided link to will help, thanks again Gavin.

Rhea

[Neils]

Might as well fly the flag a little, Avon Beekeepers have a "Beekeeping year" (http://www.abka.org.uk/issue3/BeekeepingYear.html) on their website if you're looking for a high level look at what's involved month to month.

[Calum]

Hi Rhea,

everyone has differing methods and will seldom concede that others methods may be almost as good.

Number of beekeepers present (n)
Opinions on subject (o)
0=n+(n*n/n*(n-1))/n

There is no absolute best practice as such just more effective and less effective ways of getting the bees to do what you want. These will also vary from case to case depending on colony strength, when in the season, weather, luck, colony resilience.. There are plenty of roads to Rome. It is amazing what the bees can put up with/survive.
A famous German expert Dr Liebig said that 'most of the problems that bees face today are standing behind the beehive'.

In one German bee magazine they have two monthly lists one is things to look out for with 3-5 points. (e.g. now, check these is enough space (with out enough work bees will swarm early), remove drone frames, plan queen breeding,,,)
The other is a list of things not to do - it is always a lot longer, usually more than ten points.
Sorry that probably does not help you much.

[Jon]

I pretty much agree with Calum. There really is no consensus on anything.
You have issues such as:

Use of wax foundation vs let bees draw natural comb
Treat for pests and diseases vs don't treat at all
No inspection regime vs weekly inspection regime.
Feed in autumn vs don't feed in autumn
use native bees vs use Buckfast or Carnica bees.
Top bar hive or warre hive vs Nationals Smiths or Langstroths.
Cedar hive vs Poly Hive
swarming is natural vs swarms are a danger to the public and should be stopped

...and you could easily add another 100 choices to this list which beekeepers will fight over.

You might be on a hiding to nothing trying to sum it all up in a few hundred words.

[gavin]

... but the mainstream and majority will go with something like Ian Craig or the Bristol beekeepers described.

[Jon]

... but the mainstream and majority will go with something like Ian Craig or the Bristol beekeepers described.

I have to agree, and a non beekeeper looking in from outside using Google might well conclude that some of the 'alternative' beekeeping is much more widespread than is actually the case.

[Neils]

I think, given the author, that the calendar article on the Avon site could probably be considered about as mainstream as you can get.


Number of beekeepers present (n)
Opinions on subject (o)
0=n+(n*n/n*(n-1))/n)

Blimey, I always thought it was easier to express as:

Opinions = NumberOfBeekeepers + X

Where X is a number between 1 and infinity :D

[Trog]

'most of the problems that bees face today are standing behind the beehive'.


Too true! :eek:

[Rhea15]

Thank u all for advice. After discussion with my supervisor I have decided to add 'beekeeping year' document within the dissertation appendices - this way I should cover what I need to without adding to the small word count.

Rhea